


A truth that's told with bad intent

by noo



Series: Rascally Verse [1]
Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Community: space_wrapped, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-19
Updated: 2011-04-19
Packaged: 2017-10-17 23:35:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 34,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/182560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noo/pseuds/noo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bones finds himself in the predicament of being engaged, to THE Captain James T Kirk. How to get out of the situation? Well, consider one nine year old girl and a Starship Captain to the rescue. What could possibly go wrong?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting the scene
> 
>  _A truth that's told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent. ~ William Blake, "Auguries of Innocence," Poems from the Pickering Manuscript_

“I’m sure y’all are looking forward to your mama and your new papa coming back from their trip,” Joanna’s ‘Aunt’ Ida-Mae said to her as she patted her hand.

Joanna fidgeted while she looked around for her father, her spare hand tugging unconsciously on the velvet of her dress. It was too heavy for the summer weather, but Devina had laid it out and when Joanna had complained to her father that it just wasn’t right he said that Devina knew better than him and he would have to rely on her to advise them both. And didn’t she want to make sure she looked as pretty as possible for the barbecue and for him? She had missed her Daddy terribly over these last three years, letters and comms and short meetings when allowed just weren’t enough. Her Mom had always complained from the moment she was born that she was ‘daddy’s girl’.

“I’m having a lovely time with Daddy, thank you very much, Aunt Ida-Mae,” Joanna politely replied, while looking around desperately for her father or any of the McCoy’s acquaintances that might rescue her.

“Well, yes dear, but really, you can’t compare that man with what dear Clay has provided for you and your mother?" Ida-Mae responded.

“My Daddy’s a hero, Aunt Ida-Mae. We are doing just fine. Captain Kirk came down with him. Not many can say they met Captain Kirk. I’m gonna have the best report for the holidays at school,” Joanna responded, her little chin rising in a gesture that was reminiscent of her father at his most stubborn. She knew that Aunt Ida-Mae was very fond of her mother and that was a good enough reason for Joanna to want to get away from her. But in her nine years of life, no one had told her how to tell old women politely that they are mean, nasty, spiteful and that you didn’t want to talk to them, or have your hand patted by a cold hand that felt like it was nothing but paper fine skin and bones.

“Well, yes Starfleet is, I suppose, an honorable profession for those who have no where else that would want them, bless their hearts,” Aunt Ida-Mae told her patronizingly. “You were too young to understand, but your Daddy... Well I don’t know what Gideon was thinking to allow Honey to marry that man in the first place. Clay shoulda been hers from high school, but no bother, at least now you have him as your Daddy as he shoulda been. Honey’s got that fine house she always deserved and you have all the best too.”

“My Daddy is gonna marry Captain Kirk. I heard him say so!” Joanna declared, her little chin pointing up even higher. “He can’t go back up to space to protect us without my Daddy. Mr Treadway’s just a businessman, my Daddy’s important, he saves lives!”

“JoJo!” Leonard declared, but before he could continue to address his daughter as he walked quickly back towards her and one of Atlanta’s most notorious gossips, that selfsame gossip raised her grey eyes to stare him down.

“That true, LH? You gonna marry that pretty boy Captain that the whole world seems to be in love with?” Ida-Mae asked, her eyes sparkling with the prospect of some right juicy gossip, but she had to make sure. “I hope you haven’t been teaching this sweet child to lie, LH? Never could trust those up north military types.”

“I thank you for your concern, Ida-Mae, but you know me. I like to keep my private life private. Here’s your drink, JoJo,” Leonard said as he handed over one of the two glasses of dark brown liquid to his daughter. “I’m sorry to cut our time short but I do see Councilor Algernon over yonder and we do need to pay our respects.” Leonard started to direct his daughter away from the older woman, but he couldn’t resist a parting shot, “Starfleet is based out of San Francisco, and last time I checked a map it was a bit more west than it was north.”

He walked away briskly, his daughter sniggering into her iced tea. As they wended their way through the groups of guests towards the Councilor, the other guests engaged in what Leonard knew was the well to do Atlantan's favorite pastime of gossiping about each other, he started to quietly talk to his daughter. “Baby girl, I know that Ida-Mae can bring out the worst in people with her nasty words, but what on earth made you lie? Jim’s my friend, yes, but we aren’t getting married. So don’t repeat it again. We’ll talk about this when we get you home, okay?”

Joanna stopped and pulled on his arm, turning wide hazel eyes, so like his own and his mothers up towards him. “But I didn’t lie, daddy. I heard you and Captain Kirk say so just the other night!”

"JoJo, Captain Kirk and I said no such thing. I don't know where you got the idea from," Leonard told her quietly.

His daughter raised confused eyes to him and earnestly replied, "but you did Daddy, I heard you both. I like Captain Kirk." She beamed her approval at her father.

Leonard opened his mouth to correct her again when he felt a hearty slap on his back.

“LH, so good to see you back in Atlanta! Looking well I must say,” Councilor Algernon greeted Leonard as he turned to shake his hand. “Your Father would have been so proud, all of Atlanta is proud of you, m’boy.”

“I’m not so sure about that, Councilor, was just doing my job, but it is kind of you to say so,” Leonard modestly replied before gesturing towards his daughter. “Have you met my daughter, Joanna?”

“I have not had the pleasure before, except when your Father and Mother would show off pictures, like all good grandparents should. How do you do, Joanna?” The Councilor asked her.

“I am very well thank you, I hope you are well too?” Joanna replied, her manners on fine display as she extended her hand to shake the other mans.

“As well as can be expected, young lady, thank you for asking,” Algernon glanced back up to the tall man standing in front of him. So different from the confident but occasionally shy young doctor he used to be, fully a man now. “I hear tell that the hero of the hour visited our fair city just a few days ago?”

At the subtle mention again of James Kirk, Leonard extended his arm to rest on his daughters shoulder, squeezing gently to remind her to stay quiet.

“Captain Kirk was kind enough to join me on my trip down before heading to his own home for a well deserved rest,” Leonard deliberately downplayed his friendship with his soon to be commanding officer.

“Such a pity, I am sure Atlanta would have been pleased to show their appreciation for him and you too. Well, I have to continue my rounds; an old politician’s duties are never done. You are most welcome to come and see me before you leave. Oh and please pass on my warmest regards to your Mother when you next speak to her, she is greatly missed round these parts,” Algernon nodded his farewells to Leonard. “It was a pleasure to meet you, young lady.”

“Thank you, sir, and likewise,” Joanna responded.

Leonard smiled down at his daughter. He was still confused as to where she got the idea from that he and Jim were going to be married, but he understood only too well Ida-Mae’s words and the powers they had to cause a McCoy to make a mistake they should know better about. That woman was mostly responsible for the situation he found himself in today. As he looked back up to see where the old biddy had gotten too, he discovered that as he feared, she was making her rounds of the guests. The sly looks being sent his and JoJo’s way were enough to prove to him that JoJo’s story was being repeated amongst the hoi poli of Atlanta society. He glanced back down at his daughter, who had finished her drink and was now sucking on the ice. The crew of the Enterprise and his fellow cadets would have been shocked at the little smile that graced his face. He noted the sheen of sweat along JoJo’s hairline. He mused to himself that he should have listened to his daughter that a velvet dress wasn’t the best option for a warm Georgian afternoon, but something about the deep blue dress drew his eye and he wanted his daughter looking her best at this party that he had to attend as one of the conditions at being allowed access to Joanna. Next time he might listen to his daughter’s opinion, but he had to smile that she did look lovely.

“What do you say we get out of here, baby girl?” He asked quietly.

His face lit up even more at the expression of pleasure in his daughter’s face. “I reckon we done the proper meet and greets and can escape. Your Momma can’t tell us off, as we have said hello to pretty much everyone here just liked we were supposed to. I reckon you, me, and the sprinkler in the back yard have a date. Deal?”

“Deal,” Joanna exclaimed as she turned to place her glass on a nearby table and eagerly grabbed the one in his hand to place next to his and then proceeded to drag him towards their hosts so they could make their farewells and escape.

  
***

  
And escape they did. Joanna was literally bouncing in her seat as they headed back to the house. Leonard wanted to have that little chat with his daughter but her utter delight was one that he did not want to spoil on the trip back to her house.

The moment they pulled into the driveway of the large home, Joanna raced from the car into the house almost before it had come to a complete standstill and from outside he could hear her flying up the stairs, letting Devina know they were home and going to cool down outside. He could imagine her dark hair flying back from the cream headband as her slippered feet raced up the stairs, carrying her as fast as they could to her bedroom to change.

Leonard’s greeting towards Devina was considerably more controlled than his daughter's. He thought she appeared to be a nice enough woman and kept the large house running like clockwork, which was something he could not help but admire, although she was still an employee of Jocelyn and Clay’s, hence his natural reticence towards her.

Father and daughter spent an enjoyable time playing on the large manicured back lawn, various high pitched squeals and low rumbles of laughter filled the air. Leonard pleaded old age after a while as he headed for the steps to sit down and watch his daughter bask in the sun and the water. He lent his elbows back on the top step and raised his head to feel the sun on his face, closing his eyes. He could feel the water evaporate off his chest. The droplets drying quickly, even those that tracked down his smooth chest towards his shorts. Those shorts were still wet and would likely still be for a while, Joanna had got him good and soaked. She was sneaky and he did wonder at her friends at school and who taught her that little trick with the bucket. He glanced back to watch her race hither and thither under the sprinkler, trying to avoid the drops of water as they rained down towards her, shrieking her delight every time a larger spray got her. She didn’t talk about her friends at all now that he thought about it, but then, when they had had a chance to talk while he was at the Academy she mostly asked after him and what he was doing, hardly talking so much about her own life. He should have considered it more but he was just so glad to speak to her, that she could have spoken Vulcan and he would have delighted in it. As she spun and shrieked under the water, she glanced towards him and yelled, “Daddy!” The pout and the tone of her voice evoked Jim at his cajoling best. At the thought of his best friend, he was reminded again of a little talk he needed to have with his daughter.

Bones stood and ran his hand through his wet hair, shaking the dark locks. He didn’t care about it not being in its tamed normal position, water glistened in droplets on the mahogany hued ends, before dropping onto his nose, shoulders and back. The haphazard coiffure made him look vastly younger than his 31 years, if he cared to glance in a mirror. Before he could join Joanna, he heard the back kitchen door open and Devina exited, bringing with her towels and a pitcher of cool lemonade.

“I understand congratulations are in order, Doctor McCoy,” Devina coolly announced as she placed the tray down on the table. She deposited the towels over the chairs and started to pour drinks. “I do wonder at you not announcing it when he was here, but it is none of my business.”

“I take it Ida-Mae rang?” Bones quietly asked as he glanced to see Joanna running towards him and Devina.

Joanna took in the slight tension of her Father and decided that what he needed was to be all wet again. There was nothing like cool water on a warm afternoon to make her happy. So when she reached her Father she plastered her wet body to him, hugging tight. She felt him relax as his arm snuck around to hug her tight to him. She rubbed her head against his belly and tried to remember his smell and what he felt like, so she could remember it later when he was up in space, searching the stars far away from her. She looked up to smile at him, before letting go and running up the steps towards the waiting towel and Devina.

She slouched herself down into the soft cushion of the outdoor chair, towel wrapped securely around her and thanked Devina who had placed a full glass of lemonade down in front of her.

“I might need some help in the kitchen after you have finished your drink and cleaned up if you are interested, Joanna?” Devina asked her, a gentle smile on her face.

“Sure,” she responded, watching her father also sit in a chair, carefully placing the towel around his wet shorts to protect the cushions, her legs swinging freely above the floor, the picture of carefree innocence in masked contrast the stillness of her father.

“What is so funny, young lady?” he asked her.

“Nothing,” she giggled as she took a sip of the sour drink, but her chuckles got the better of her and she ended up inhaling some of the drink. Leonard reached across the chair to rub her back as she coughed.

They both turned towards the door as they heard the phone ringing from inside the house, waiting to see if the call was for either of them, but when there was no Devina at the door, Leonard turned back to her and shrugged his shoulders.

The pair sat in comfortable silence, drinking and just smiling at each other, happy to be in each others company. Their serenity was broken every few minutes by the phone ringing and obviously being answered by Devina.

After the first few calls, Leonard started to suspect what or more importantly whom most of the phone calls were about. He glanced at his daughter, but the open doorway caused him to hold his tongue. At any moment Devina could walk silently through that door and he didn’t want her to over hear the conversation that he had to have.

Joanna took matters into her own hands as she jumped up suddenly and ran inside, leaving her father to sit and contemplate the mess that was currently his life. He knew that there was only one way to deal with his. He was just going to have to call Jim.

  
***

  
Leonard left the two females making a mess in the kitchen and headed up to his room. Life in the Academy and on a Starship did make him yearn for the South and the way they had of embracing the future but also clinging to the past, like cooking. No food processor could compare to family recipes handed down through generations, or the smoky flavor of a barbecue.

He walked from the wide landing towards his guest room. There were other rooms he could have been put in but the placement told him that Jocelyn and more likely Clay wanted to make a point. He entered his room and headed over to the side table to pick up his mobile. He stared at the screen before putting it down again and heading to the small en suite to shower away the water and grass from his and JoJo’s exertions of the afternoon.

Once all clean and dressed he picked up the mobile and lay back on the bed. He played with the phone, scrolling down to his contacts, which were not many once he saw the full list. He went to put the phone down, not sure if Jim would be catching up with his family and friends back at Riverside, but then he bit the bullet and dialed up the number.

One ring, two, three and his thumb moved over to hover over the control that would hang up the call, not wanting to bother Jim with some small town gossip, but the voice of his best friend emerged from his phone before he could hang up.

Sighing, Bones put the phone back to his ear.

“Hey Jim, how’s Iowa?” He asked.

“Flat. What’s wrong, Bones?” Jim asked him.

“Why do you presume that something is wrong?” He griped back, not happy that Jim was so easily able to read him.

Jim chuckled, in that deep way he had from the pit of his stomach, “course something’s wrong. It’s 1600, you are calling me instead of spending time with your daughter, so something’s up. Don’t tell me the evil one and the redneck have returned early? Now spill, let me know how I can help.”

Bones ran his hand through his hair, “Nah, Jocelyn is still gallivanting off on the Riviera somewhere. I’m just having a little issue with some small town gossips.”

“Atlanta isn’t a small town Bones, Riverside was a small town,” Jim told him.

“It’s still there isn’t it, or have you managed to burn it down, kid? So don’t use the past tense,” Bones ordered him.

“Don’t you talk to me about grammar. I’ve noticed your accent get thicker since we got into Georgia the other day,” Jim laughed at him. “So what are the gossips up to? You are a national hero, Bones, and the Chief Medical Officer of the best Starship, under the best Captain.”

“You know we are gonna have to have a little chat about your delusions of grandeur, Jim…” Bones said.

“Hey, no avoiding the question. C’mon, spill, and the Enterprise is the best ship so of course it has the best Captain. No delusions involved there!” Jim alternatively coaxed and protested.

“Look it’s silly. Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with it here. You enjoy your break, catch up with friends.” Bones tried to minimize his unease, hoping that Jim couldn’t hear his restless movements on the bed.

“Hey, you are my best friend, no one is more important than you. So as your Captain, I am ordering you to tell me,” Jim said.

“Hah, if you think that tone is gonna work on me, you are going to have to do more practice in front of your mirror. Look it’s nothing. Just Joanna says she overheard us talking and seems to have jumped to a conclusion and might have told the biggest gossip in Atlanta, nothing really. Storm in a teacup,” Bones said quickly.

“Might have told the biggest gossip in Atlanta what?” Jim asked.

“Oh god, it’s stupid, Jim, alright. I shouldn’t have called you,” Bones replied.

“Bones, what?” Jim ordered.

“Look, Jocelyn’s Aunt Ida-Mae, who happens to have the biggest mouth this side of the Mason-Dixie line managed to somehow antagonize my daughter to tell her that you and I…” Bones paused.

“That you and I what, Bones? C’mon, that we what?” Jim asked quietly, his tone serious now.

“That we are, aregonnagetmarried,” Bones mumbled as quickly as he could, hoping that Jim wouldn't hear properly.

His worst fears were realized when Jim’s response was nothing but a bark of laughter.

“Jim, it’s not funny!” he growled.

“Oh, Bones, it so is!” Jim was still laughing around the words.

“Jim, I gotta somehow tell my daughter that it isn’t true, though she swears that she heard you and I talking about getting married the other night. Then I have to get the biggest gossip to shut her mouth, when I know that woman takes great delight in making my life hell. She did it four years ago and it seems that just wasn’t enough for that vindictive old biddy. Then I somehow gotta save face on my daughter in this pissant town and correct the story. So, Jim, if you have any bright ideas how in the hell I’m gonna be able to do that, I’m all ears,” Bones finished, rubbing a hand over his eyes in exasperation.

There was merciful silence on the other end of the phone for a brief period before Jim spoke up again. “Well first things first. Joanna did hear us discuss marriage the other night.”

“No we didn’t. If you asked me to marry you, I think I might have remembered it!” Bones contradicted him. "Especially since it would have been proof to commit you to a mental asylum!"

“We were talking about going back up to space and you were grumbling about being married to the job, remember?” Jim reminded him, ignoring the empty threat from his best friend.

“No...” Bones started and then he did remember the discussion in the kitchen that night.

_“Well, I am gonna be married to the job” Bones grumbled._

_“Can’t be all that bad! I’m the job too, does that mean you are gonna marry me, Bones?” Jim smirked at him._

_Bones just smacked Jim on the shoulder before pulling him closer for a brief hug. The two men had taken any and all opportunity to touch each other after the ‘incident’ with Nero. As if they couldn’t believe that they were both still alive. So many had been lost and then nearly lost._

_“Well, we’re just gonna have to be married together then, I guess,” Bones said quietly before moving away to put the glasses in the sink._

Bones realized that Joanna must have come down the stairs and heard part of that conversation. He groaned. “Yeah, I remember now. How do you tell a nine year old that she heard things out of context? How on earth can I stop the news spreading more? Seriously Jim, the phone has rung almost constantly since we came back from the party. You have no idea of the mentality of this town! I’m sorry you got dragged into this mess.”

“Hey, what else are friends for if not for fake engagements?” Jim said.

“What?” Bones responded with a shocked inflection.

“The only way to head off rumors like that is to meet them head on. I’ll be there tonight. You and I will have a chat to Joanna and explain the proper situation to her, but then we will also have some fun with those old biddies. They want to try and hurt you? Well they just ain’t met me!” Jim told him.

“Jim, no!” Bones protested.

“See you tonight… honey,” Bones could hear the smirk in Jim’s voice all the way over the phone transmission.

“Jim!” He all but yelled, but then was greeted with the tone that indicated that he had been hung up on.

“Damn it Jim!” He growled as he glared at the phone, before tossing it onto the side table and flopping back down on the bed to stare at the ceiling.


	2. Act Two, Scenes One to Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim makes it to Georgia. The act begins...
> 
>  _There is no well-defined boundary between honesty and dishonesty. ~ O. Henry (Rolling Stones, 1912)_

Bones had to have been one of the world’s worst guests that evening. Joanna had to remind him numerous times that she had asked him a question, or that it was his turn in whatever game they were playing. At one stage he was sure it was cards, but they seemed to have magically turned into a board game and he had no idea when that happened or even what the game now was.

His gaze had kept being drawn towards the front windows, searching for a light from a car pulling into the driveway. When the time from the possible shuttle from Iowa to Atlanta and travel from the port to the house had passed, he started to relax. Jim obviously had used that impressive intelligence of his to rethink the situation.

He had started to finally pay attention to his daughter and the game when there was a flash of lights through the windows indicating that a car had pulled into the driveway. He stopped playing and just stared at the window, hearing a door shut, noting that the car was now backing out of the driveway and then the sensor lights came on and the doorbell rang.

“Daddy?” Joanna asked, noting the tenseness of her father and that he had now turned his focus towards the doorway that led to the entrance hall.

“Who is it?” she asked, but she never received an answer from her father, but she did get one soon enough anyway.

“Captain Kirk!” She exclaimed as standing in the doorway and smiling at her Daddy was the man who had saved the whole planet. She noted Devina hovering in the background, her dark eyes intent on the scene before her.

“Well, honey, I’m here…” Jim smirked.

“Jim, don’t call me honey!” Bones growled warningly at him.

“Okay sugar plum!” Jim said as he loped across the room towards where Bones was still sitting in the chair.

“Jim!” Bones told him off, but couldn’t express properly his feelings due to the audience around them, so had to settle for a glare as his only real form of communication.

Bones continued to glare at the man who was now leaning towards him, that patented smirk on his face was letting him know that Jim was up to mischief and even he wouldn’t be able to stop him.

“Jim,” Bones started to say.

“Is that anyway to greet me? I know a better way,” Jim said before lowering his voice so that only the two of them could hear. “Just play along Bones and stop glaring at me, or this will never be believed.” With that statement Jim fully morphed into the charade and pressed a kiss to Bones’ cheek.

Jim pulled away slowly, staring at Bones and willing him to play along. There was the slightest nod and acquiescence in those hazel eyes. At this tacit approval Jim plonked himself down on the arm of the chair, draped one arm along the back of the chair and smiled at Joanna who was sitting wide eyed and staring at the two men.

“Well, Joanna, seeing as you guessed our little secret, I just had to come back. We wanted you to spend some time with just you and your Dad, but now it seems lots of other people know and well, here I am. I hope you don’t mind?” Jim smiled at her.

“I’m so sorry about that Captain Kirk, but it’s totally okay for you to be here. It’s gonna be awesome!” She declared.

Jim laughed, “hear that Bones? Awesome!”

“Hmm, not too sure I want you two comparing notes. Devina, I apologize for the late notice, but is it possible to prepare a room for Captain Kirk?” Bones asked the housekeeper who was still hovering in the doorway.

“A room? I could just provide some extra pillows in your room,” Devina responded.

“A room is appropriate, Devina,” Bones said with a flicker of his eyes towards Joanna, reminding the housekeeper of the presence of his daughter. “In fact, the same one he had the other day should be suitable, if it isn’t too much trouble? Joanna, why don’t you go help Devina to set up the room for Jim and then get ready for bed? It's near enough to your bed time.”

“But Dad…” Joanna complained but stopped when she noted the single eyebrow raise and pointed glare from her father. “Okay,” she mumbled as she stood and followed Devina out the door.

“Don’t worry kid, he uses that look on me all the time. It’s deadly!” Jim commiserated with Joanna, who turned to smile at him before spinning back around and hurrying out the room.

“Heaven help me, Jim!” Bones said as he shoved at his best friend.

Jim was totally unprepared for the shove from Bones so he ended up sprawled on the floor, but his smile did not dim.

“Aw, c’mon Bones, this is gonna be fun!” Jim said.

“This isn’t a game, Jim,” Bones said as he ran his hands through his hair, messing up it's customary neatness.

Jim rolled up and over so he was on his haunches by the chair. His smile had disappeared to be replaced by an intent look.

“Trust me, Bones, I know that rumors aren’t fun and games. I’ve dealt with small town gossips. This is the best way; hopefully everyone comes out of it with no one being hurt. Especially Joanna. I’m just here to help as much as possible, Bones. It shouldn’t be too hard. We have always been close and I have no problems with you touching me and vice versa,” Jim said.

Bones snorted, “Jim, you don’t have problems with touching, period!”

“Hey, I’ll have you know I have my standards!” was the offended response.

All he received in reply was a roll of the eyes followed by an eyebrow raise.

Jim smiled widely at the standard response from his friend. They were back on same page it seemed. The pair of them ready to take on the universe, together.

He stood up and then flopped himself down on the couch that Joanna had just vacated. "Playing games Bones? Really?" He said as he poked at the board that was laid out on the glass coffee table.

"When you have a nine year old, then board games are the way to go. Actually scratch that, you and a nine year old, you would be trying to beat them at the latest holo game," Bones laughed at the put upon look on Jim's face.

"Yeah, I would," Jim agreed. "So what is the plan of action, and don't give me that this is a bad idea and won't work, the rumor is out there, time to minimize the damage. So who is the vindictive old biddy? We need to know everything about her, her friends, likely hang outs, how she spreads her rumors, what?" Jim stopped at the laughter that was emanating from his best friend.

Bones stood and walked over to the door, still laughing at the serious planning that Jim was putting into the problem, completely oblivious to the serious stare he was receiving from his best friend. Although he was not happy that Jim was dragged into the matter, he was glad that his friend was here, the man who put up with his grumbles and had never judged him. He started to speak as he headed back to the armchair, "I forgot you were top of your class in tactical analysis, you are treating this like a mission. Just can't wait to get back to the black, can you?"

"Well, yeah, but I remember well old biddies and their rumors, they are just like a little battlefield with mini purple haired generals, and hey! No forgetting my achievements old man!" Jim protested. "So who is the main problem? A problem shared is a problem solved..."

"We are done for if you are resorting to pithy sayings!" Bones snorted. "The vindictive old biddy is Joanna's Aunt Ida-Mae, well not really her aunt. She is cousin to JoJo's grandfather. That woman has the ear of most of Atlanta and pretty much it seems the story is out there if the phone calls this afternoon and evening were to go by."

"You said earlier that she had it in for you about four years ago, around the time of the divorce wasn't it?" Jim asked, fishing for information.

Bones stared at him, looking deep into the blue of Jim's eyes before responding, "yeah and the death of my Father. It wasn't a pleasant time and some things were said and done that I would rather forget."

Jim reached a hand forward to grasp at Bones, who moved back in the chair to avoid contact. Jim didn't let him, grabbing hold of his wrist and with a serious look said, "I'm sorry, man, I won't ask again but I needed to know. I am sorry about your father." He then let go and sat back in the couch again.

"So, we are going to need a nice public outing, aren't we? Some where the old biddy can't miss us in our engaged bliss," Jim continued.

"I was taking JoJo to the mall tomorrow," Bones conceded.

"Perfect!" Jim exclaimed, "so some public displays of affection should do it? Then you can spend some quality time with Joanna, without me being the third wheel."

"Devina might be an issue, Ida-Mae called her first and you heard that comment just before," Bones pointed out. "No hand holding, no calling me pet names and no kissing!"

"Geez, Bones, no pet names? I would never!" Jim protested his innocence with a look that was pure devilry. "It won't work without some sort of affection between us. I'm a touchy feely guy, you know that and you and I touch all the time."

"I'm not Jim, never have been so much. I may hate this town but they know me and if I start holding hands with you like some god damn lovesick teenager they will put me in a funny farm so fast you wouldn't believe," Bones told him.

"Okay, I understand. So, we kinda keep to our buddy buddy touching, just a bit more regular," Jim agreed. "Hey, can I pat you on the ass?"

"No!" Bones growled at him and pointed a finger.

"You really are a spoil sport," Jim complained. "Don't give me the finger of tyranny, I am not one of your staff. I am your Commanding Officer and beloved fiancee and you give it to me again, I will deal with it." The last statement was accompanied by a sly little smile.

Before Bones could respond, they both heard Joanna's footsteps on the staircase.

"Sounds like my room is ready, time for the game to start in earnest," Jim declared.

Joanna erupted into the room, ignoring the closed door which most people would have considered a strong hint to knock first and quietly enter second. She was already in her pyjama's, thus proving Devina's magical ability to deal with a recalcitrant nine year old.

"Captain Kirk," she declared, "your room is already now. I would appreciate it if you would help Daddy in putting me to bed?" She asked ever so politely, giving away that Devina probably had a hand in giving her some direction in how to ask, hands clasped behind her back as she fidgeted on the balls of her feet.

"Sure Joanna, it would be my pleasure," Jim smiled at her after a quick glance towards Bones. "But call me Jim, here I am just Jim, not a Captain. Deal?"

Joanna looked towards her father to seek his approval, at his small nod, she beamed at Jim and said, "deal!" before turning on her heels and sprinting out of the room and up towards her bedroom.

"Might have to allow you to stay. That has to be the easiest to get her to go to her room I have witnessed, ever," Bones said as he followed his daughter out of the room.

Jim quickened his pace so that he could fall into line next to his best friend. "What can I say, Bones, no one is resistant to the Kirk charm!"

"I remember plenty who were! Prime example would have to be Uhura, closely followed by that green-blooded computer she doesn't call her boyfriend," Bones responded.

"Ah spotted that did you?" Jim asked quietly. "I shouldn't be surprised, you always were the master at figuring out who was with who."

The two men had arrived at their destination to discover Joanna hastily rushing about with a pile of, what appeared to be drawing implements, in her hands. She was obviously trying to find a place to put them. She bent to peer under her bed.

"JoJo, I am sure they have a place to be, but under the bed it ain't. Put them away in their proper place." Bones ordered her, in a quiet voice unlike what he would normally use on the medical staff.

Joanna jumped guiltily, before rushing over to her desk and putting them away in one of the drawers.

"So help me, why she didn't just put them there in the first place?" He quietly asked Jim.

"Don't attempt to fathom the female mind, Bones. It is beyond our comprehension, but nice to see I can make her clean up her room too. See, I do have my uses, old man!" Jim said as he slapped Bones on the back of the shoulder as he sauntered into the room.

He looked around before deciding to sink down on the end of Joanna's bed. "So, Joanna, what's the score at bedtimes?"

Joanna turned to Jim and walked over to her bed before sitting down herself but only after rearranging her pillows so she could lean against the headboard. "Dad and I talk about the day and stuff and then I read for a bit before lights out."

"Your today has been full of surprises so I guess that would have to be a long talk then," Jim smiled at her. "How about a little change of plans? You ask me a question and I get to ask you one?"

Joanna's eyes lit up and her father, who had quietly entered the room to sit in the arm chair that was his normal seat each evening, watched both his daughter and best friend carefully. Jim, as far as he was aware didn't have a lot of experience with nine year old girls and he knew that his daughter did hero worship Jim, but he seemed to be dealing with her remarkably well. Not talking down to her at all, treating her like a mini adult and JoJo's hero worship seemed to be getting worse.

"Why ain't you staying in the same room as Daddy? Like Clay does with Mom?" Joanna asked.

"Joanna!" Bones warned her, ignoring the laughter from Jim.

"Dad, this is the 23rd Century! Sarah's mum's ain't married and they sleep in the same room." Joanna replied to him, maintaining her innocent look.

"See Bones, Sarah's mum's sleep together, why can't you and I?" Jim was giving Bones an almost identical look of innocence. Bones was not believing either look.

"Jim!" Bones warned him before turning to his daughter, "JoJo, that was a very personal question and I don't think you should have asked it of Jim."

"But Daddy, he said I could ask him a question, and if you and he are gonna get married then I want to make sure that you're gonna get along fine," Joanna tried to reason with her father.

Jim nodded his agreement with Joanna's reasoning, before adding his own thoughts. "Joanna, your Dad is right, that was pretty personal but I can understand you wanting to make sure about this..." Jim paused as he contemplated what to call the situation they found themselves in. His normally glib and quick tongue was blank, "situation, but to put you at ease, you do remember that your Dad and I did share a room for three years at the Academy. I'm used to having him around and telling me off. Right, my turn to ask a question now." He rubbed his hands together and sneaked a look out of the corner of his eyes at Joanna, seeing what her reaction was. She was biting her bottom lip and looking a bit worried.

"So, what's the silliest thing you have seen your Dad do?" Jim asked, sliding his gaze between father and daughter. Noting that the tenseness had left the daughter and now seemed to be settling on the father.

Joanna grinned widely, "You should have stayed and not gone to Iowa, then you would have seen him under the sprinkler this afternoon. I got him so wet!"

Jim leaned back onto the soft bed, bracing himself on his elbows as he smiled across at Bones, his body relaxed and open as the lounged on the bed. "Wet huh? Was he clothed?"

"That's two questions more! I get three questions now then," Joanna pointed out. "Then I will answer those."

"Answer them first and you can have the three questions in a row," Jim bargained.

There was a pause while hazel eyes looked into blue, then Joanna agreed, "Okay. Yep he was wet, soaking!" She said in glee, "he had on his swim trunks. It's warm here in summer. Don't it get warm in Iowa? Oh shoot, that's not one of my questions!"

Jim and Bones laughed at the consternation on her face, and the way her little nose screwed up in disgust at herself.

"Too late, Joanna, you asked it, it counts!" Jim pointed out to her.

Jim was sure she was contemplating poking her tongue out, but a glance at her father obviously made her second guess her actions. "Fine. What's the silliest thing you've seen my Daddy do and how far off the surface from Vulcan were you when you got beamed back onto the Enterprise?" Joanna asked as she tucked her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs and rested that little pointed chin on her knees.

"I'll answer the last one first," Jim told her. "I was this far away." Jim lifted his hand up and indicated 5 centimeters with this first finger and his thumb.

Joanna's slightly tilted eyes widened as she released her legs and leaned back against the padded headboard. Her dark brunette hair flowing over her shoulders and in stark contrast to the pale pink checkerboard pattern.

"No way!" She breathed.

Jim smiled a little gentle smile at her. "Yes way," he responded.

"Totally?" Joanna asked, not quite believing what she had been told, but he was Captain Kirk so she wanted to believe him. She looked towards the one person she trusted not to lie to her, "Daddy?'

"Jim might like to exaggerate a bit," Bones told her, ignoring the protest from Jim. "But in this case I would trust him. If he says that is how far he was off, then that is how far he was off from hitting Vulcan dirt."

Jim raised one heavy eyebrow at Bones before turning towards Joanna with a sly little grin, "Now the silliest thing your Dad has done? I remember this one night, when I was feeling a little upset and your Dad decided to help cheer me up and took me out. Well there was this group of lovely ladies that were celebrating..." Jim never got to finish that story. Bones had leaped out of his chair and grabbed Jim by the arm, dragging him up from the bed, so that he was now standing flush against him.

"I think that is enough questions for tonight, JoJo. If you want time to read, we'll leave you now. Jim and I need a little chat before our bedtime as well. You have 15 minutes and then it's lights out." Bones had stepped towards his daughter so that he could lean down and place a kiss on her forehead. He did not let go of Jim while he kissed his daughter.

Joanna wisely held her tongue, but filed the information in her mind and she determined that one time when she was with Jim and her Daddy wasn't around she would make sure that he finished that story. If her Daddy didn't want her to know then she just knew she had to find out all about it. She watched as her Daddy dragged Jim out of her bedroom, Jim smiling as he talked quietly to him. Her Daddy's eyebrows seemed to be trying to meet just above his nose. Once the two men had left her room, she reached over to pick up her book from her side table, taking care to handle it carefully, smelling the paper and pushing down her quilt cover with her legs, she snuggled into her bed and opened the book to where she had last left it.

  
***

  
"Damn it Jim! Where is your sense? That is not a story you tell my daughter," Bones growled at him as he pulled him down the corridor towards where their rooms adjoined. Bones paused outside his own door, stepping up close to talk quietly to Jim. But Jim got in first.

"C'mon Bones, I know. I wasn't gonna tell her the proper story, give me some credit." Movement to the right caught his eye, Devina had exited out of 'his' room and paused as she looked towards the two of them. Jim raised both hands, he used his left to slide onto Bones' hip and squeezed to let Bones' know this was all part of the game. He tilted his head sideways and smiled slyly as he slid his right hand up Bones' arm. Turning their angry confrontation into what would look like an intimate encounter to anyone observing. "Well, honey? Oh, hi Devina. Is my bag still downstairs?"

Jim had noticed Devina's exit from his room and was doing his best to give Bones time to compose himself and to alert him to Devina's presence. Past experience had taught him that when Bones started to get well riled up towards him, he could ignore the Universe going to crap and just focus on where his anger was directed.

"Jim," Bones growled quietly at him.

Jim found his arm being gripped tight and then Bones' was pulling him into his room, away from the prying eyes and ears of Devina.

"Damn it, I told you, don't call me honey!" Bones hissed as he closed the door.

Jim's sly smile disappeared as he registered that Bones really had a strong dislike for the endearment. He watched as his friend stalked over towards his bed with his familiar long, loose limbed gait. Jim lent back against the wall, staring in silence at the tense back view of Bones. Jim noted the still scruplishny neat appearance of him, despite his 'casual' look, vastly different from the uniforms the pair of them had worn for the majority of the past three years. The dark, well fitting jeans and the check shirt, so neatly tucked in, was now marred by the mess Bones was making of his hair as he ran one hand through the thick locks.

The room was silent as Jim waited for Bones to speak. He wasn't going to push, he knew his friend too well. Bones sighed deeply and then turned to face him. He walked quietly back to Jim and in low tones started to speak, "look..." He paused as he gathered his thoughts, Jim still waited, not pushing or rushing him for an explanation. "Honey is what Jocelyn's family has always called her. So just don't call me it, okay? Especially not in this house and in front of Devina or any of her family."

Jim's brows tried to make one complete eyebrow as he frowned to consider this new information. "So it's like Blue then?" Jim asked.

Bones looked at him like he was mentally insane, which Jim basically registered as Bones' normal expression towards him. Then it seemed that Bones realized what or more specifically who Jim was referring to. "What on earth does that weird Australian have to do with it?"

"Gee Bones, it's obvious!" Jim told him, "Remember no one could figure out why he was called Blue, until Cupcake asked him. He was called Blue because he was a redhead, which just goes to show that we need to introduce Spock to an Australian, should prove hilarious. Anyway, nicknames being the opposite of what you are, so the ex obviously is not sweet, therefore they called her Honey!" Jim smiled at his own impressive leaps in logic.

Bones glared at him before a laugh escaped and he leaned in close, his eye's narrowing as he shook his head and smiled at Jim. "You are insane. No that isn't the reason, she was and still is at time all sweetness and light when she wants something, well, just never towards me. For which I thank the Lord I don't have to deal with that southern woman and her wiles."

"You still whispering because of Devina?" Jim asked him, changing the subject. Jim was intensely curious about Bones' relationship with his ex-wife, but there was still so much bitterness between the two and he couldn't believe when Bones jumped at the chance to spend two whole weeks in the house she now lived in with her new husband. The man with whom Jocelyn had cheated on Bones. But the first look Jim got at Joanna and he understood why.

Bones nodded at him, that he was aware that Devina was likely still loitering outside their door. Bones opened his eyes wide and glared at his erstwhile friend, he knew the twinkle in Jim's eyes well and whatever he was planning, Bones was not going to like it.

"Time to give her something to listen to then," Jim murmured and before Bones could protest, Jim had started moaning. Loud, guttural moans, interspersed with breathless comments, like his name, yes', more, lower, over and over.

Bones threw his hands up in the air and stalked back towards his bed and away from the infuriating man who was thoroughly enjoying his own solo little performance. He crossed his arms and pursed his lips at Jim's performance. Ignoring the way Jim had his head thrown backwards, strong neck exposed to the light, stubble thick under his jaw, eyes closed and obscene lips parted.

"You shameless hussy!" Bones admonished, forgetting to keep his own voice quiet.

Jim lowered his head back down and opened his eyes at Bones' words, they flickered towards the door and in the same louder tones announced, "your shameless hussy!"

Jim reached over to the door handle and slowly started to twist the knob. Not once losing eye contact with Bones. His friend had always been difficult to read, and now was no different. He blinked and looked away again as he opened the door and with a parting, "goodnight, dear," Jim slipped out of the room. Noting the flash of a dress as Devina rounded the corner of the hall.

His room, was no different to when he last saw it only a day ago. His bag had been placed neatly at the foot of the bed and he noted that Devina might have been an eavesdropper, but it appeared she hadn't searched his bag. He changed for sleep and as he pulled the covers back he heard Bones' door open. He stayed still as he watched to see if his door would open. In two minds as to stay where he was, clad only in his boxer shorts or to dive under the covers like some hesitant maiden fearing for their virtue. He mentally shook himself, that he had shared a room with the man for three years, they were comfortable around each other and Bones had seen him in an aroused state before. Mercifully for his state of mind, he watched as the shadows of Bones feet could be seen at the base of the door and it was obvious that Jim was the least of Bones' concerns. He was off to his daughter, Jim remembered that it was probably lights out time. So Jim crawled into the comfortable bed with smooth sheets, not scratchy, well worn ones like in the hotel room in St Louis.

Jim lay still, listening to the sounds of the house, like the whine of the cooling system, the wind rustling the leaves of the big elms outside and waiting to hear Bones walk back to his own room. When he heard Bones' door open and close he allowed his hands to sneak down and start to work on the little issue he had as a side effect from his earlier performance, so that he could hopefully get a decent nights sleep.

  
****

  
Leonard had one hand on the front door handle when he heard the clomping down the stairway. He recognized the gait and turned to find a sleepy looking Jim descending the stairs, clad in his running gear. He raised one eyebrow at his friend.

"It's morning and you go running, so I'm going running now too," Jim told him in explanation.

Bones deigned to comment and just opened the front door, gesturing for Jim to precede him out.

The two men set off in the early morning light, Jim allowing Bones to set the pace and the direction. They ran in comfortable silence, each avoiding eye contact with the other but listening intently to the breathing of their partner. Bones eventually slowed their pace and stopped under one of the many trees that lined the well tended street. The whole area spoke of well to do and money. Jim was starting to remember little hints from Bones on the rare occasions when he revealed anything about his past and was now twigging that Bones was not uncomfortable in these surroundings. That he seemed to fit a little too well.

"What?" Bones asked him looking down at himself to see if anything was amiss.

Jim laughed at him, "not that, idiot, just trying to figure out the best way to tell you that Devina is well and truly a spy for Ida-Mae."

Bones snorted and said, "well, I think you managed it just fine!"

Jim pushed Bones on the shoulder, resolutely not trying to memorize the feeling of Bones' bare, sweaty shoulder. It might be early morning, but the humidity was a bit of a killer. The Georgian heat was a bit of a killer in comparison to Iowa or San Fran.

"Asshole," Jim smiled at him. "Went downstairs late last night to get a drink and I overheard Devina on the phone to Ida-Mae, giving a very nice repeat performance of me to her. She does need to work a little bit on her moans, but overall I would have to give her a seven and a half."

"She had no idea you were there?" Bones frowned.

"Not a clue. You know that this means that we can't tell Joanna the truth? She seems quite fond of Devina and well, we can't ask her to lie. She won't understand it at all," Jim was all business as he stepped closer to Bones to talk quietly as he spied an older gentleman coming around the corner and being led by a very impressive dog. "Company coming," Jim said quietly.

Bones snuck a look around the trunk of the tree. "Shit, time to head back," he told Jim and before Jim could ask any further questions, he was off and running back the way they had come. It only took a few strides and Jim was keeping pace with him.

They entered the house to find Devina pottering around and so they both headed up to their own rooms to shower and get ready for the day.

  
***

  
Jim entered the kitchen to discover Bones and Joanna seated at the large kitchen table and a very hearty spread placed before them. Joanna was tucking into some brightly colored cereal that he was sure wasn't healthy at all. It was a measure of how much Bones loved his daughter that he was allowing her to eat it. Jim smiled to himself as he decided to test a little hypothesis. He reached for a bowl and the packet of cereal.

"Jim..." Bones warned.

"What?" Jim responded with an innocent expression as he liberally poured milk over the frosty bright green and purple flakes. "You can't be complaining about my food choices. Joanna seems to approve of it." Jim smiled broadly as he placed a large spoonful in his mouth. He kept smiling over the god awful taste of the cereal. Crunching loudly, as he was enjoying the flinch of the nerve just above Bones' left eye with each relishing smack. Both men continued to stare at each other, then Jim lent forward to reach for the jug of orange juice, bringing him closer to Bones. He needed something to counteract the bland taste of the cereal.

The two of them were interrupted from their staring competition by Joanna squeeing. There was no other way to describe the high pitched noise that was emanating from her. They both looked over to her in concern to find her pointing erratically in the direction of the tv screen. The screen was on and had been quietly playing in the background. All in the room had been mostly ignoring the local breakfast program. They were no longer ignoring it due to the vision of Jim, from one of his many official photographs that the Federation had released. Bones had teased him unmercifully about the photos. Jim could now tease back, if he wasn't in fear of Bones doing some particularly nasty things to parts of his anatomy he was inordinately fond of, because next to the picture of Jim in his dress uniform was a picture of Bones. A younger looking Bones in what appeared to be blue scrubs. The announcer was making some comment about being off the market and Jim looked towards Bones in horror. Realizing that they had just been outed on Atlantan morning television.

Bones was fully aware of the horror of the situation and had pushed his plate of toast and beans away so that he could hide his face in his hands. Jim quickly reached out to steady the cup of coffee that Bones had knocked with the plate.

"It's not that bad Bones," Jim coaxed.

"Not that bad?" Bones dropped his hands to glare at Jim. Lips pursed, he continued, "I just had my face smeared over every household in this damn town. We won't be able to go anywhere now without people pointing and staring. I hate this town."

Jim glanced over quickly to gauge Joanna's reaction. She was looking quite confused and a little sad. "Hey, Jo, why don't you get ready to go to the Mall? I just need a chat with your Dad. He really doesn't like attention, you know?"

Joanna, bit her lip before replying, her eyes more green due to the sheen of tears that Jim could see starting to develop. "Okay. I'm sorry Daddy, I didn't know you wanted it to be a secret."

Her quiet voice was enough to alert her father, who moved quickly out of his chair, brushing past Jim to collect his daughter in a right hug. He rested his chin on her head, before sliding down and pressing a kiss to her shiny hair. Inhaling the apple scent of her shampoo. "It's okay JoJo. I just don't like other people knowing my business. I should have said something to you first. You mean the world to me and well, lets go out and have some fun at the Mall, okay?"

Joanna tilted her head up and stared at her father. A serious look on her little face and Jim involuntarily inhaled at how alike the pair of them were in their expressions. For a child that had not seen much of her Dad for most of her young life, they seemed to have identical expressions to go with the majority of their looks. She adored her father and vice versa which gave Jim a feeling of tightness in his own chest that he did not want to dwell upon. Joanna then stepped out of Bones' embrace and left the room. Jim stepped up behind Bones, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You know, _men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened_ ," Jim told him.

Bones turned his head towards him, an incredulous look in his eyes. “Y’all quoting Churchill at me now?”

“Well I coulda gone with _a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on_ but, I thought that left me a little too open to one of your normal bitches,” Jim responded with a straight face.

"Trust you to memorize quotes involving pants. How long you been saving that one up for?" Bones had fully turned towards Jim and put some space between their two bodies by leaning back onto the door jamb.

"You know I was thinking that Tuesdays should be pants free day on the Enterprise," Jim said seriously.

"Jim!" Bones said in horror. He wouldn't put it past Jim to attempt that as some sort of weird bonding for the crew.

"I’m kidding Bones, kidding. Jeez you are so easy to rile up!" Jim smirked at him as he walked out of the room, bumping shoulders as he passed, fully aware that his best friend was actually thinking that he might make that an order one day.


	3. Act Two, Scenes Five to Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim receives something he never expected.
> 
>  _There is no well-defined boundary between honesty and dishonesty. The frontiers of one blend with the outside limits of the other, and he who attempts to tread this dangerous ground may be sometimes in one domain and sometimes in the other. ~ O. Henry (Rolling Stones, 1912)_

Bones resolved that he would not allow Jim and Joanna to provide directions in the future. The pair were a very bad set of back seat drivers. He knew that Jim loved to be in control, but the constant directions and instructions he and Joanna were providing was very distracting for Bones. Not a grumble could pass his lips though, because he knew that Jim was doing his best to get Joanna out of her funk. He was utterly amazed they actually found the Mall, although it hadn't moved from the spot that he remembered from three years ago.

He was horrified that these things still existed from the 20th Century, it used to be torture when Jocelyn would drag him along in the early days of their marriage. Now the prospect of entertaining a nine year old girl made him shake in his boots. Not that he was going to let anyone see that of course. He steeled himself to follow Joanna and Jim through the glass sliding doors and into the climate controlled environment that reminded him a little too much of shuttles and starships.

"Warn a man!" Bones complained as he nearly collided with Jim, who had stopped just past the doors.

"Do I need to send you off for eye tests, old man?" Jim had the gall to smirk at him. "The doors are made of glass, Bones, most people tend to look through them as they enter."

"Most people don't damned near stop as soon as they walk through," Bones gripped back.

Jim just laughed as he pulled on Joanna's hand, "Right, young lady, where to first? We have some of your Dad's money to spend, and the day is half gone already, cause someone was slow getting ready." Jim raised one heavy eyebrow in Bones' direction.

Bones just growled in response and deigned to not respond that Jim took long enough in the shower and was the last down for breakfast.

Joanna smiled at Jim, but it wasn't the full grin that Bones was used to. It seemed that the good natured grumbling between the two wasn't something she was used to. It was just what the pair of them did, but he could see that his daughter just didn't understand that. Adults were weird and strange creatures when you were that age.

"Hey JoJo," Bones said quietly as he squatted down so that he was face to face with her. "Don't worry about Jim and I saying stuff like that to each other. We do like each other, it's just how we talk." He explained quietly as he carded one hand through her hair.

Jim still had hold of Joanna's hand and he squeezed gently to get her attention. "Yeah, Joanna. It's just the way your Dad and I show that we care about each other. Boys are weird like that. Sooner you learn that the better."

Bones had stood up, "hey! No giving my daughter pointers about boys. She's too young for that and she don't need advice from you." Bones poked Jim in the chest.

Jim dealt with Bones' telling him off the way he did all the other times. He laughed.

"C'mon you two, time to show me what Atlanta has to offer a farm boy from Iowa," Jim said tugging on Joanna's hand.

The three of them wandered slowly along the ground floor, talking and laughing as they pointed out things that amused them in the various shop windows. Joanna led the way, tugging Jim this way and that. Bones happy to follow behind observing his daughter and his best friend. Jim was very comfortable in his uniform whether it be as a cadet or as a Captain. Bones had seen him a few times in casual clothes, but it was pleasant to see how relaxed and comfortable he was following around a nine year old. Bones also was aware of the titters and stares the three of them were getting. There was a small group of young kids that alternated between giggling and pushing each other forward. Obviously daring one another to approach them.

Bones had enough of being the center of most of the other shoppers attention and directed Jim and Joanna away from the display they were staring at. Bones couldn't believe what they were looking at it so intently. How could stuffed toy cats, in clothes and stupid poses around a wheelbarrow enthrall Jim or JoJo? He grumbled to himself about how insane this place was as he pulled Jim and JoJo into the store, with each on either side of him.

"Lord help us, it gets worse," Bones declared as he stopped at the entrance to the store and looked around.

"Now who is stopping in doorways?" Jim asked, one eyebrow raising as he tried to imitate Spock. Unsuccessfully in Bones' own opinion.

Bones moved away further into the store, having no idea where to go but Joanna soon sped off down one of the aisles and so he let her explore on her own as he slowly wandered down the one straight ahead of him. A store clerk seemed to wander into their line of sight, but a glare from Bones sent the clerk scurrying back behind the safety of the large green alligator dressed in a tuxedo and topped off with a jaunty top hat that was perched on the cashiers counter. Bones did muse to himself that if the alligator was going to invite you to be dinner, at least he dressed for the occasion. Every Southern gentleman was taught to appreciate good manners and this alligator sure did have manners.

"You really haven't lost that talent," Jim observed.

Bones turned back to subject the same glare on Jim, but Jim was pouting at him while holding a rabbit under his chin. That the rabbit was dressed up in the weirdest outfit he had ever seen with every conceivable color placed somewhere on the outfit and holding a carrot that was shaped like a heart, should have made Bones scowl even more, but it was just too absurd and a bark of laughter escaped him.

The pout disappeared very quickly as Jim stepped close to Bones, the stuffed toy dropping down to the ground, forgotten. Jim reached for Bones hand and lightly gripped his fingers, eyes serious, no mischievous twinkle that seemed such a normal part of his mien. "I like you here, like this," Jim murmured. "Happy."

"Damn it Jim," Bones grouched as he stepped away and bent over to pick up the forgotten rabbit. "Who designs these stupid things? I swear it is like some Russian designer was let loose. Let's put as many colors and patterns in a small area as possible and call it good taste!" Bones stepped around Jim and put the rabbit back on a random shelf. Apparently Bones decided that the rabbit needed to make friends with some frogs, who were dressed in pink and yellow tutus. He walked off, face slightly flushed and willing to blame it on the humidity should anyone ask, now trying to seek his daughter out. He was not using her as a decoy, no sirree, not at all. He then swore long and hard under his breath to discover one of those kids from the group that had been following them around was standing and chatting merrily with his daughter.

"Hi Daddy," Joanna said as she spotted her father. "This is Anna, she goes to my school." Joanna introduced the young girl standing next to her. The bright gray eyes that were turned towards him, lit up even more and Bones looked over his shoulder to discover Jim standing behind him, with that damned rabbit back in his hands. Bones refused to comment that the rabbit and Anna had a bit in common in the teeth department. His upbringing kicked back in as he politely greeted Anna and introduced Jim.

Anna then reverted into what Bones would only describe as a mini Jocelyn. All sweetness and light and after something. Before the three of them could realize what was going on a camera was pressed into Joanna's hands, Bones was shoved to the side with the rabbit back in his hands and Jim was pulled down, resigned smile on his face as Anna beamed at the camera. No one else would realize that Jim's smile wasn't that he was totally enthused about having his photo taken with a random person that he just met, but there was a look in his eyes that Bones could read.

Bones went to put the rabbit on the shelf to discover that Jim had snatched it away from him.

"No mistreating Rascally," he was told.

"Rascally?" Bones queried.

"C'mon Joanna, we need to rescue Rascally," Jim said as he stepped away from Anna and towards Joanna.

Joanna offered the camera back to Anna as she said, "here Anna. I hope you have a nice break and see you back at school." Before turning and skipping after Jim who was heading for that alligator.

Bones couldn't hear what Jim was leaning down to say to Joanna that caused a wide grin on her face. He caught up to the pair as Jim was handing over some credits, too many as far as Bones was concerned, and the rabbit was being handed back in a box, his ears poking out the top. Joanna lifted her hands up to offer to carry it, but the look on Jim's face had Bones shaking his head no.

"Nah, your Dad needs to do something, so he can look after Rascally," Jim declared, shoving the box into Bones' arms. "Where to next, Joanna?" Jim asked as they started to walk out of the store, pointedly turning away from the group that was surrounding Anna and her camera. Jim quickly moved across the mall floor and into a lift door that was open, before the group could figure out that they had left the store. Bones had to nearly run to keep up with the man and Joanna was laughing in delight, obviously at the sight of him with that damned rabbit in his arms.

"Pick a floor," Jim told Joanna. She looked at the pair of them and then a smile sneaked across her face that was reminiscent, to Bones, of Jim up to mischief. But if his mother was there, she would have told him that her granddaughter's expression was way too familiar to herself. That most recently she had seen it regularly on her sons face when he was about the same age and then well into his teenage years. Joanna hit floor three and stood back to continue to smile at the two men and crossed her arms. On a nine year old it should have been ridiculous, but it put the fear of God and the universe into both men instead.

The doors slid open and Joanna rushed out.

"JoJo!" Bones called, "stop!"

The two of them exited the lift to find Joanna, standing under a palm tree and tapping her foot.

"You are slow!" Joanna declared and then turned back to scurry off along the walkway.

"Joanna Eleanora McCoy! You stop right now!" Bones called out to her.

His daughter stopped but didn't turn around.

"Don't go running off missy," he told her as they joined her. "Now where is the fire?"

"Sorry, Daddy, but I have somewhere I need to take you and Jim," Joanna said turning pleading eyes up at her father.

"You are done for, Bones," Jim told him slapping him on the back and taking Joanna's hand again and letting her direct him to where she was originally headed.

She dragged the pair of them into the large department store and into the menswear section. She turned to grin at them as she stood amongst racks of swimwear. Jim and Bones looked at each other, bemused.

"Do you have some swim trunks, Jim?" She asked.

"No, I don't," Jim responded.

"If you want to join me and Daddy, you are going to need some," Joanna declared.

Jim remembered the discussion the night before, the mention of sprinklers, and he rubbed his hands in glee as he looked around at the selection at his fingertips.

"JoJo, lets go find the seats, this is gonna take a while," Bones said as he walked with his daughter towards the low chairs that were situated near the changing rooms, ignoring the protest from Jim.

Bones spent a nice time just leaning back against the wall, his daughter tucked under one arm and watching Jim scrunch up his nose, purse his lips and frown as he made various selections. Bones was able to find out what had made JoJo smile as her and Jim purchased that damned rabbit. Jim had congratulated JoJo on her handling of Anna, that she was polite but helped him get away. Jim, it seemed, had unwittingly confided in his daughter about the downside to saving the planet. That now everyone thought they owned you, that you needed to talk to them all, to have photos and generally not be allowed to spend time being normal and ignored. He hugged JoJo a little tighter and pressed a kiss into her hair. It was at this time that Jim swept past them both, almost hidden under a large pile of trunks.

"He does only need one, doesn't he?" JoJo asked.

"Well, baby girl, see that's just Jim. He likes to have a lot to chose from, he will then pick one out and it will be perfect," Bones told her.

Father and daughter sat in comfortable silence until the godawful muzak that was trilling out of the roof speakers was drowned out by Jim yelling for Bones. He rolled his eyes at his daughter and handed over the god damned rabbit for safe keeping before entering the dressing rooms.

"What?" Bones asked standing in the small corridor, deciding that if Jim was going to yell at him for attention, then he wasn't going to bend over and peek under the doorways to find the cubicle Jim was in.

One down the far end opened, so Bones headed towards it. He stopped at the doorway to find Jim now shirtless, still in his socks and wearing obviously his preferred choice of swim trunks. They had a pretty pale blue, white and black swirling pattern, but something about them seemed to be bothering Jim. He was twisting back and forth, looking at himself in the mirrors.

"You called me in here just so you could look at yourself longer?" Bones gripped as he lent against the open door.

Jim pulled the trunks tight and presented his back view to Bones, "do these ones make my ass look fat?" He asked.

Bones reached into the room and smacked Jim up the back of the head. "You dumbass! Don't call me in here for nothing."

"Aww Bones, I was just trying to make you feel like a proper fiancee!" Jim smirked at him, while rubbing his head.

Bones rolled his eyes. "They look good, now can we get out of here? Young girl needs amusing and there is only so long she is likely to like sitting still with her ole dad."

"Has she complained yet?" Jim asked and before Bones could answer, Jim continued, "no, I bet she hasn't. That girl would sit with you until the world ended. That's one hell of a kid you have Bones."

Bones ducked his head as he blushed. "Well, yeah," he agreed. "Now get some clothes on, you idiot, so we can get outta here." On that note Bones strode out of the dressing rooms, not once glancing back. If he had he might have stumbled at the intense look on Jim's face.

Jim felt even more naked as he slowly pulled his favorite choice of trunks off. He had no cunning plan when he called Bones in, just a desire to see what his reaction would be to the trunks. He fell back into the old ways of teasing Bones, skirting around his attraction for his best friend and hiding it amongst banter and silliness. Bones standing there with a blush staining his cheeks, should not have looked manly, but there was just something about him that even doing something that was a patented Southern Belle look, he still managed to look rough and tumble and all together too gorgeous to Jim.

Jim took a deep breath and willed his heart to slow down as he finished dressing. He put his non preferred choices in a neat pile by the door for the assistants and walked out with the trunks he was going to buy.

  
***

  
Joanna directed them down the escalators instead this time. As always the ground floor was full of contrasting scents of the various perfumes and those perfectly coiffed attendants who tried to foist various options at the three of them. One particularly insistent salesperson who was offering some ridiculous sounding bottle towards Joanna incurred Bones wrath, Jim had to drag him away quickly before a full blown lecture could be given about the errors of today's society in trying to corrupt minors and make them grow up well before their time.

"Well, I do declare LH, you really do still like to terrorize the general populace who are just doing their jobs," a distinctly elderly voice, dripping venom stopped the men in their tracks. Jim felt Joanna reach out to grip onto both him and Bones and Bones had tensed beside him.

"Hello Ida-Mae, there are certain standards that should be maintained and trying to get a child to wear a perfume named 'Eden's desire' just ain't appropriate in my book. If you think that is acceptable, well bully for you!" Bones said. His own voice declaring his dislike for the other speaker.

At the mention of the elderly woman's name, Jim slipped an arm around Bones, to rest at the base of his spine and they turned to the side to face the harridan that was the cause of their little charade. She was surrounded by a battery of women, all around the same age range. A bunch of biddies was what Jim thought of them. Twittering amongst themselves at the possibility of blood shed. Well if they wanted a scene, Jim was well prepared to give them a scene.

"Bones, is this Aunt Ida-Mae you have been telling me all about?" Jim asked, saccharine sweet smile plastered on his face.

Before Bones could respond, the old biddy got in first. "You must be that Captain Kirk that the planet seems to be enamored with," she said.

Jim pulled Bones in a little closer, shielding Joanna from the women with their bodies. "Well, here with Bones, I am just Jim, but yes I am Captain James T Kirk. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I would shake your hand put I am a little tied down at the moment." Jim lifted up the two bags in his left hand.

"Bones? You mean LH? Well, what a delightful nickname you have given him. Youngsters these days!" Ida-Mae declared, eyes sparkling. "One does wonder how on earth you came up with that particular pet name, considering what I have heard."

Jim smiled as he lent forwards, drawing the women in closer as he looked left to right, checking that no one else was listening, as if he was about to impart a big secret to his closest confidantes. The group stepped closer involuntarily. Bones wisely held his tongue but with his right hand, held it out so that Joanna could hold on tight. Jim noted that Joanna was no longer holding onto him but had moved over to the other side of her father.

"You see ladies, my mother raised me to be a gentleman, and I _never_ kiss and tell.” Jim smiled and winked as he stepped back and started to walk out of the store, taking Bones and Joanna with him, leaving the group of gossiping biddies cold. But then that streak of mischief, that was never far from his surface, manifested and he decided to give them a little something in the form of his right hand that had been resting at the small of Bones' back, just above his belt and feeling the heat of Bones' skin through his shirt, slipped down and patted one firm ass cheek.

"Jim!" Bones growled.

"What?" Jim replied, innocent expression on his face. "I had to give them a little something. But you growl at me again and next time I'll pinch it!"

"Let's get out of here, I've had enough of this place," Bones declared. "You don't want to look anywhere else JoJo?"

Joanna bit her bottom lip, worrying it before speaking, "can we go to the bookstore?" She asked.

Bones smiled at her, "great idea," he agreed.

The three of them walked quickly towards the exit. They had taken a few steps when Bones spoke up again, "Jim."

"Yeah?" Jim queried back.

"You know they can't see us anymore, you can move that hand of yours." He told him.

"It's quite comfortable there, Bones," Jim replied.

"Jim," Bones spoke again.

"Oh alright," Jim groused as he moved his hand away reluctantly. "Way to spoil a guy's fun!"

  
***

  
Jim sat on the bed contemplating the item in his lap. A gift from Bones. An honest to goodness present. One that was valuable and rare. He almost didn't want to touch it. If paper could burn then this was certainly doing so into his thighs. A book. A real book. Actually there was three books in one.

As much as Jim had enjoyed most of the morning's visit to the Mall, and when had the Universe imploded so that he, James T Kirk, thought a trip to the Mall was a fun thing? He ignored the little altercation with Ida-Mae and her purple-haired army of mini dragons, well, except for the last part, that was fun. Bones' ass was something he shouldn't be thinking of, but the man was too attractive and he had had thought so for nigh on three years. The best part of the visit was seeing Bones smile and laugh. That isn't to say that he hadn't done so in the past three years, just that the scowl and the grumpiness at the world seemed to be more his normal state of mind. Here, back in the state that Bones professed to dislike almost as much as Jim disliked Iowa, it seemed that Bones' personality was switched. The grumpiness was still there, but smiles seemed to come so easily to him.

The reality was that neither of them actually disliked the states themselves, it was certain people that made their trips back to their childhood and young adulthood so painful. It was no wonder that both of them latched onto each other from that moment on the shuttle. Jim had heard many a comment that the pair of them seemed so mismatched, but he knew better. Deep down there were shadows and pain and hiding going on to protect their true selves. Even from each other to a degree. There was never any asking or pushing, just a non-verbal acknowledgment that they understood each other.

Which brought Jim back full circle to the book on his lap. He ran gentle fingers over the cover. The blue cloth cover rough under his pads. He turned the book sideways to look again at the side writing. An elegant script in silver embossed into the cloth. It read "Young Hornblower Omnibus by C.S. Forester". Jim snorted as he remembered his initial thoughts on seeing the title, when it was in Bones' hands. Then Bones handed it over to him and told him that his father had handed him a copy of the first of these novels when he was a teenager.

Joanna had interrupted the memories with a tug on her father's hand and pulling him towards another section. Jim had followed slowly, handling the book reverently. The smell of the store was unlike anything Jim had smelt before. The smell of musty pages dominated the air. It was a pleasant, bringing thoughts of times gone by when books like these were common place. Joanna was waxing over a book even older than the one in his hands, it had a printed cover of a watercolor scene, four children in a row boat and a dog swimming in the water. The sheen of the cover still there over two centuries later.

The trip had ended with Bones purchasing both books, and when they got home he placed the Hornblower one in Jim's hands while Joanna raced up the stairs carefully holding her own book, off to place it on her shelves with the rest of her precious collection. Jim had tried to hand it back, horrified at the gift and knowing the cost, but Bones had smacked his hands away and pressed the book into his chest. Devina had then done her own silent little entrance to apparently dust the flowers on the hall table and Jim had to accept the present. Bones headed up the stairs after his daughter, leaving Jim standing in the entrance hall with the book and a bemused expression on his face.

Books were something to be treasured between the McCoys it seemed. Bones revealed that his father had presented his son with a gift of a book each year and on special occasions and achievements. When Joanna was born, Bones and his father then continued on the tradition, handing over his own collection to his daughter and both men adding to it.

Now here Jim was, handling his own book gently. The start of his own collection. He was in so much trouble.


	4. Act Three, Scenes One to Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys, water and a nine year old girl. Fun times! Oh and a little visit to some Tailors.
> 
>  _Make yourself an honest man_

Lunch was a happy boisterous affair, both Jim and Bones taking turns to question Joanna about her school friends and the staid life of a child stuck on a planet. Joanna would try and ask questions in return, but before Jim could answer any, Bones would get in first and either deflect the question or give a partial answer. Jim was tempted to kick him under the table. Really there was room for only one nine year old at the table, no matter what Bones might allude to otherwise.

The only downside was the continual interruptions of the phone and even the ringing of the doorbell. It seemed that all of Atlanta wanted to visit with them. Bones had directed Devina to instruct any caller that they were 'not at home'.

While Devina was off dealing with one of the calls, Joanna and Jim cleaned up the table. Jim resolutely kept his focus on the child and not on the man who was leaning against the table, giving them instructions. Bones hadn't shaved this morning, and he had one thumb tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. His dark navy shirt, open at the neck and offering a tempting glimpse of smooth flesh. He was leaning with one leg crossed over the other at his ankles, meaning his hips were cocked and he was the image of a relaxed man. A sex-on-legs relaxed man. Jim did not need his mind to keep trying to remove the clothes from Bones' body. He also most definitely did not need the ideas to flash in his mind when Bones declared what they were going to do next.

Which was how Jim found himself back in his room, staring at the swim trunks and willing his erection to go away. Bones, water, near nakedness and a nine year old girl. Not Jim's idea of fun considering he was going to be in something that was going to make his interest blatantly obvious.

Jim sighed as he headed into his ensuite to deal with it, making sure to lock the outer door. Joanna had already wandered in unannounced, twice, during his stay in the house.

  
***

  
"Daddy, Jim almost takes as long as Mom! Please can I go make him hurry up?" Joanna pleaded as she jumped up and down on her feet and tugged at her father's hands.

Bones laughed at his daughter. "No, let him be." He pulled her arms up over her head so that he could swing her around. Joanna squealed in delight.

It was this sight that greeted Jim as he walked out of the back of the house, towel slung over his shoulder. He dropped it at the top of the steps and headed down to join them out in the afternoon sunshine.

"If I ask nicely, will you spin me too?" Jim asked.

Bones put Joanna down, one arm still held her securely against him as he raised an eyebrow at Jim. "I would have thought you have had enough flying through the air lately."

"I never get sick of that," Jim said as he walked up to the pair, ignoring the smooth chest of Bones in contrast to the stubble on his face. Joanna seemed content to lean back against her father and wait for Jim to join them. "So, we have swimmers and nice warm weather but no water. You Georgians are weird." Jim told them.

Father and daughter exchanged a look before Jo was sprinting off to the side of the house. Bones just kept that little smile on his face, but had crossed his arms over his chest. So Jim took up the challenge and remained in the same place. Bones then took three steps backwards. Jim wasn't having any of that nonsense and followed him. At some mental signal, because Bones never looked away from Jim's face, he ran backwards and Jim would normally be quick enough to avoid the full blast of water from the ground, but not this time. It soaked him from head to toe, much to the delight of the McCoys. Jim shook his head, spreading more droplets out over the grass, before tilting his head up to the sky and the cascading water. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Joanna coming closer. He relaxed his body posture, waiting for the right moment. When it came, he leapt across the grass, grabbing Joanna around the waist and running back under the water with her, laughing at her shrieking protests. As he lifted her up high, his back to Bones' he whispered, "one of us still isn't wet..." As he lowered her to the ground, Joanna nodded her head at him. As soon as she was on the ground she was off and running over to her father. Jim took off to the other side, hedging Bones in unless he tried to run for the copse of trees down the pathway and beyond the patio. Bones had turned away to dodge Joanna, but that put him directly into the path of Jim, who grabbed him and with surprise on his side and few tricks from his combat class, the older man was dragged under the water.

The three of them continued to play like children, which was fine for the one of them who still was a child. The other two had no excuse. They would alternate allegiances. One moment it was Jim and Joanna onto Bones, then it would be the two adults onto Joanna, then Joanna and Bones onto Jim. Devina, who was watching through the glass door, could only shake her head in disapproval before she headed back into the house and to her numerous chores. After a while, the insults, dares and the high pitched shrieks got fewer and more spaced further apart. The next time Devina looked out onto the yard it was to see Joanna still running around under the water but the two men were both lounging back on the steps, elbows resting on the top step close to each other and long legs stretched out towards the ground. She watched quietly. They certainly had an odd relationship.

She had never met Doctor McCoy before he had traveled this trip of his, but she had heard a lot about him, his family and their past history. She had also heard a lot about his immediate present from Joanna. The man who turned up didn't quite fit any of the stories. Ida-Mae wasn't so sure about this engagement, but really the way the two of them kept touching and looking at each other, even if they tried to hide it, it was obvious that there was strong feelings between them. She would have never picked either man as being that way inclined, but they were both attractive in their own ways and together they really stood out. They also stood closer to each other than most other people did. Even before the announcement of their engagement, she had noted that they were always touching, even if it was in a manly slapping, buddy kind of way.

Doctor McCoy had sure found something fascinating on the captain's chest. It seemed to Devina that he was struggling to keep his eyes off of that region. The only time he could was when Jim would glance his way and the doctor's head would snap back to watch Joanna. Her voyeurism was interrupted by the doorbell ringing again. She reluctantly tore herself away from the fascinating scene outside to go send the latest inquisitive visitor on their way.

"Don't you dare, Jim!" Bones warned as he pointed a finger at him.

Jim's eye-line dropped to that dictating finger. "Now what did I tell you earlier?" He said quietly, before quickly grabbing hold of Bones' wrist and bringing his hand closer to his face. Jim directed that finger towards his mouth and before Bones could realize what he was doing, he nipped the tip into his mouth.

White teeth closed over the fleshy pad of his finger. Bones' whole body went into shock when he swore that Jim had also taken the opportunity to flick his tongue against there as well. "What the hell!" He exclaimed, before forcefully pulling his hand away, breaking Jim's grip. He moved that hand out of reach, forgetting that his right arm was still in easy reach on the step between their two bodies.

"Play along, Bones, we have an audience inside," Jim said.

"My daughter is right over there. A bit of decorum!" Bones replied. "She also already thinks we are together, she don't need no convincing," Bones continued, resolutely not looking at Jim.

Jim made it hard to not look at him when he stood up and stepped in front of him. Water was still slowly dripping down his body. The warm afternoon sun had dried off most of the water as they lounged on the steps, but there was one lone drop that fell from Jim's hair onto his shoulder and was heading for the mole that was three finger widths above Jim's right nipple. Not that Bones had looked that closely at Jim's chest before and considered the distance from nipple to mole. No, never. He tried to hide his interest by watching Joanna and the droplet out of the corner of his eye.

Jim's breath hitched as Bones' tongue peeked out and licked his lips. He had noticed the little flickers that Bones' eyes had made towards him. Was that heat that he could see in the hazel of his eyes? With a sly smile he stepped closer and lent over Bones, one knee resting on the step by Bones' thigh and he placed his hands on the step above his hips.

"Joanna is having too much fun playing under that water and really, that nosy eavesdropper inside needs something good to report back to the dragon, apart from you buying me presents and your daughter making you smile," Jim said as he focused on the plump lips. No man should have lips that full.

Bones shoved Jim up and he followed him, ending up standing so that either of them would only have had to lean slightly forward and they would end up pressed completely together.

Jim kept up his cocky smile for any who were watching while he moved his hips back slightly to ensure that he didn't touch Bones inadvertently.

"Jim," Bones growled.

"I warned you what would happen if you growled at me again," Jim proclaimed as he quickly reached around and pinched Bones on the ass. He then took off towards what he thought would be the safest place, Joanna.

He guessed wrong because the shock wore off quickly and Bones was after him. He was quick and light on his feet and could normally out run Bones, but he slowed down to dodge a perfectly manicured bush and found himself tackled to the ground. Normally he would roll as his body hit the ground so he would be facing his attacker, but thought it might not be the best option in the current circumstances, so he landed face first onto the grass.

Jim felt strong thighs gripping his own, rough hair rubbing against his legs. He marveled at the contrast of Bones' smooth chest with how hairy his legs were. To his memory was bought the image of the five o'clock shadow that would develop by the late afternoon on Bones' face, much to his disgust. The first time Jim had ever met Bones, that five o'clock shadow was on display and for all his slight craziness, Jim had seen how attractive he was. Meanwhile, hands had landed on either side of his head and breath tickled his ear as he felt Bones lean over.

"I warned you about pinching me on the ass. It's been about time someone knocked you off your perch and taught you a lesson," Bones promised in low tones, as his hands moved to grip Jim's wrists, pinning him to the ground and holding him in place.

"Teach me then," Jim spat back.

He started to turn his head to glare at Bones when the pair of them got a face full of water. Joanna was standing over them both with a hose and wicked grin.

Bones was the first to move as he jumped up and chased after his daughter. Joanna threw the hose away just as Bones caught up to her. It had been particularly ineffective at stopping Bones from advancing on her. Her giggles filled the air as she was roundly tickled. Jim sat up on the grass and watched them. His frustration slowly ebbing away and glad that Joanna had interrupted before he had done something he might have regretted.

He had calmed down to a state where there was no longer a tent in his trunks when Bones stood up and turned off the water. He picked Joanna up and called over to Jim, telling him that they were heading inside to clean up and relax the rest of the afternoon away.

Jim stood up and brushed off the wet grass cuttings that were clinging to his shorts and legs. He gave up after a moment, walked back to the porch and picked up his towel. He dried off most of the excess water and then headed inside to shower, for the second time that day.

  
***

  
He stood in his room at a loss for what to do. He didn't want to enquire after Bones and Joanna, they had already spent the majority of the day amusing him. He looked over to his bed and the book resting on the side table. As he relaxed back and opened up the book there was a tentative knocking on his door.

Joanna opened the door at Jim's invitation. Peeking her head around the door she asked, "can I read with you?" The book that had been resting on her bedside table last night was in her hands.

Jim smiled as he looked at his own book. He patted the space on his bed, inviting her to join him. As she settled down the end of the bed, lying on her stomach and opening her book, she looked up at Jim again. "Daddy is reading work things and I thought you might like some company."

"Is he now?" Jim asked rhetorically, "of course he is. I am glad to have your company, Joanna."

The pair of them spent most of the afternoon reading and every so often one would say or ask a question. Jim noted that Joanna wasn't as forthcoming in her question asking as she was last night. Obviously the incidents from the morning were weighing on her mind. Jim asked her to talk about her own life more and some of her answers were such that there were some things raised that he wanted to bring to Bones' attention.

Bones came searching for Joanna to announce dinner and if he was surprised to find her lying on the end of Jim's bed, feet bare as she waved them in the air, he didn't let on. The three of them talked happily over dinner, skirting around anything too personal, the two men were obviously a little skittish but determined to not show it. After Joanna helped Devina clear up the table, they found themselves in the living room and Joanna headed over to the cabinet and selected various games. There was no time in which Jim was alone with Bones that he could talk to him until finally Joanna was in bed and they were sitting on the steps of the back porch, under the moonlight, a finger of bourbon in each of their glasses. The back windows of the kitchen were open and they both were aware that Devina was moving around inside. Over the quiet hum of the insects could be heard the occasional opening and closing of cupboards and drawers as the woman resolutely stayed in the kitchen. Neither man was inclined to talk for the sake of talking, falling back onto old habits of their friendship.

Bones was taking a sip of his whiskey when Jim leaned in close to his ear. Bones' natural reaction was to flinch away and Jim recognized this as he whispered to him, "don't flinch. She has moved to the back door to spy on us. Time to give her a bit of a show." Jim slid his arm around Bones' shoulder.

Bones stayed still and if his hand gripped his glass almost hard enough to shatter it, neither Jim nor Devina could see.

"You need to relax, Bones. Smile like I am whispering sweet nothings in your ear," Jim said.

Bones swallowed deeply as he felt Jim breathing in and out heavily next to his ear, his mind going blank and his throat dry. Words couldn't escape him because he wasn't sure which letters went where anymore.

"You gonna make me do all the work, Bones? Shall I tell you about Ka'Trin-a or how about Deidre and her tight ass? You know me Bones, I love to admire a nice tight ass. Nothing like showing your appreciation with hands and tongue, or in the case of Ka'Trin-a I believe it was a proboscis." Jim started to mutter as many anecdotes as he could dredge up. He had never been circumspect with Bones about his past encounters, but never had he whispered them to him. There was something about dirty little secrets told in quiet voices and if his tongue managed to sneak out and flit over the curve of Bones' ear or his lips brush the soft flesh of his neck as he spoke, he wasn't going to admit it. Bones was unmoving next to him, as if he was turned to ice, but Jim knew better, he could feel the heat emanating from Bones' skin.

Jim next started with an encounter that ended up badly for himself. His humorous rendition was enough to drag a laugh out of Bones who turned his head to look at Jim, laughter brimming in his eyes. Jim lent back enough so that Bones could come into focus. The sounds of crickets chirping slowly permeated Jim's hearing, natural sounds so distant from the mechanical sounds of a starship. He stared at Bones, his lips dry, so he flicked his tongue out to moisten his lower lip. Bones' eye-line dropped and his lips parted, then he lent in so close to Jim that his nose slid against Jim's.

"Well, if we are going to make this look real," Bones said, keeping his tone low, and then he brushed his nose across and titled his head. Jim registered that anyone looking from behind would think that they were kissing for real. The pair of them just stared into each others eyes and teased back and forth. Neither touching but lips so close that all it would take is a slight movement and they would be kissing for real. The temptation for Jim was very strong to turn this into a real kiss, but at the back of his mind was that little voice that told him this was one time to not leap before looking. For three years he had listened to that voice and every time that Bones had grouched about his lack of not looking before leaping Jim had to bite his tongue and not tell him that he could and did sometimes.

Jim allowed his eyes to wander slowly over Bones' face; at the straight nose with the slightest little upturn at the end, at the mole on his cheek and the dark intense ring of green on the outer edge of his pupils. Slowly Jim registered that he couldn't hear Devina anymore. He shuddered as he pulled away, whispering, "Bones, she's gone."

Bones had not moved from where Jim had left him, then he blinked and turned back to stare out over the perfectly manicured back yard. He raised his drink and took a sip before he put it down again and adjusted his checkered shirt. "Right. Right." He responded.

The two sat there for a few minutes, Bones staring out into the yard and Jim leaning back very slightly so that he could stare unbeknown at Bones. Jim finally broke the spell when he heard a door upstairs open and close, knowing for sure that Devina was out of earshot. He keep his voice low though, just in case. "Bones, I need to tell you something about Joanna."

That got a startled look at him, but Bones held his tongue, obviously waiting to see what Jim was going to say.

"Talking this afternoon, I don't think Joanna is happy here," Jim said as he now looked out over the moonlit garden. "That's not to say she said anything outright. Just, please trust me on this Bones, she's kinda abandoned all the time. Her mom's always out or with Clay and when they are home, she isn't with them. It's why she is so close to Devina, she spends more time with her than with those that she should be with. I know most people would say she has more than many kids, but, well, you know," Jim ended a little unsure how to properly express what he thought of the situation.

Jim waited nervously for Bones' response. He took a sip of the bourbon, completely oblivious to the burn and taste of the alcohol. Jim could not wait any longer when Bones hadn't responded after a brief period. "Well?" He asked.

"You sure?" Bones asked quietly.

Jim paused as he looked over at Bones, eyes serious. "Yes."

"Thanks," Bones said as he lifted his glass up for another drink.

Jim stood and announced he was going to bed. Bones just nodded, so Jim walked across the porch before pausing at the doorway to stare at Bones, outlined in the moonlight and drinking quietly. Jim gripped the door handle tight, afraid he might just do something stupid, like march back across that porch and tilt Bones head up and kiss him for real. But he had wanted this man for a long time and he wanted him not for one night, not to help him wash away some pain, he wanted him forever. "You aren't going to get away from me, Leonard Horatio McCoy," Jim promised under his breath as he opened the door and stepped inside the house.

  
***

  
Jim was twirling his phone back and forth in his hand as Bones entered the kitchen. He glanced around and noted that Jim was the only one in the kitchen. Sitting at the table with toast and coffee by the smell of it, in front of him and untouched.

"You too, huh?" Bones asked.

Jim's head snapped around as he started to drop the phone, before double grabbing at it with his fast reflexes and placing it on the table.

"Keenser!" Jim announced. "How the hell did they get my number?"

Bones raised an eyebrow as he pulled the stool out from next to Jim and sat down.

"Scotty," Jim guessed, looking back at his phone and shoving it further away from him.

"Where's JoJo?" Bones asked as he reached for a mug and the pot of coffee.

"She spilled some stuff on her top, when I came in from being chewed out by Starfleet for not telling them about you and me, her and Devina went off to fix it up or something. I mean, c'mon Bones, what the fuck with the higher ups wanting to know all about you and I and how we so should have told them and that we have to go to some stupid dinner tonight, that we apparently declined _politely_ yesterday and make nice with everyone." Jim was in a full on ranting mode, arms waving in the air. "Oh and apparently they want to set up interviews and stuff. I told 'em that I would have to talk it over with you first. That you wouldn't want to be splashed across everyone's screens and have random people poking their noses into our business. Plus I have to wear a suit! Me, a suit! I can do the uniform but a suit. I've never worn one!" His rant finished, Jim slumped down onto the stool and pushed his plate away from him.

Bones pushed the plate back towards him. "Eat. Seems I've just come off from the same lecture. They finished with you and then contacted me."

"Really? I didn't hear you yelling at them." Jim said as he picked up a piece of the now cold toast. He took a bite and screwed up his nose at it, but continued to eat.

"I do know how to show respect for my superior officers, Jim" Bones told him, taking a sip of his coffee and staring straight ahead, ignoring the petulant child act going on next to him.

Jim turned to Bones and raised an eyebrow. His effort was obviously not very successful because Bones laughed at his attempt at a move that he himself had patented long ago, "don't try it kid, it's not a good look," he advised.

Jim went back to pouting at the toast in his hand. "You yell at me," he complained.

"Didn't know you wanted my respect," Bones responded, with a little look out of the corner of his eyes towards Jim. His voice had dropped and he had allowed his drawl to thicken as he spoke.

The look had been so brief that it caused Jim to pause momentarily, unsure if Bones had just actually, maybe, possibly flirted with him. He reached for the toast again as a way to cover his hesitation.

"I need a suit," he announced. Dumping the toast back on the plate. "Can I borrow the car to go to that mall again?"

"No," Bones said.

"What do you mean, no?" Jim asked him, frowning at the expression on Bones' face, the slight smile he saw there.

"I need one too, seeing as how we have been literally ordered to attend this stupid dinner. A suit from the mall won't cut it. I know where we need to go. That damn rabbit is also back in Jo's room , where it belongs. Now, finish your breakfast and I'll tell Devina and JoJo that we will be back later." Bones clapped him on the shoulder and left the room.

Jim stared at his plate and then at the half drunk cup of coffee that Bones had left. "At least I actually ate some breakfast, Mr do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do," Jim complained.

  
***

  
Bones walked into the store, closely followed by Jim who was tugging self consciously on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Stop that," Bones ordered quietly out the side of his mouth, as an older, well dressed man came gliding across the floor towards them.

"Doctor McCoy, it is a pleasure to see you again. We have missed you greatly around these parts," the man said as he reached a hand out towards Bones.

Bones reached his own hand out and clasped the other man's. "I have missed you too Muscovy, but I have a terrible favor to ask."

Jim stayed silent behind the two men, just observing and noting the thick drawls the pair were employing, although there was some Russian tinge to Muscovy's. He had suspected that Bones fitted a little too well into the neighborhood they had been staying in. Now here was proof that Bones wasn't a 'simple country doctor' as he liked to say on a regular basis.

"Anything we can possibly provide for you and Mr..." Muscovy paused, as he indicated Jim.

"Captain Kirk," Bones said.

"My apologies, and Captain Kirk," Muscovy continued, "we will do our best. The McCoys have long been valued customers."

"Thank you," Bones replied, titling his head in a slight nod. "We require suits for the Councilor's dinner. I know this is very last minute but are you able to help?"

"You know me, Doctor McCoy, I do appreciate a challenge," Muscovy grinned at Bones and then raked his eyes up and down Jim's body. There was nothing sexual in the perusal, it was that of a professional tailor measuring up his client, something about the other man made Jim stand upright as if on Parade. "I do believe we will need to re-measure you and of course Captain Kirk as well. Dunjit!" He called as he turned and started walking towards the back of the store, through a black wood paneled short corridor housing a plethora of ties in every color imaginable. Muscovy then turned left at the table tennis table, a real honest to goodness old style table tennis table and disappeared from view.

"C'mon," Bones said to Jim as he followed the path that Muscovy had taken.

Jim silently shadowed Bones' trip into this strange world of a 'gentleman's' store. He knew, in an abstract concept, of these stores that hearkened back to centuries ago. Bones interest in real books and now this was giving Jim a perspective even more of the hidden depths of his best friend.

The brightly lit ambiance of the store gave way to a more intimate one as the pair of them stepped into what Jim figured had to be the changing area. There were large antique leather chairs in each corner, elegant black lacquer doors were spaced evenly out and waiting in front of two of them were Muscovy and another man who had to be Dunjit. The doors were opened and Bones and he were directed into separate but adjoining rooms. Inside Jim was surprised at how spacious they were. All the walls were mirrored and a small dais was rising out of the floor in the center. Another large chair was in the opposite corner to the door and seemed to be calling out that it needed to be sat upon.

"If sir would kindly remove his outer clothes, I will return shortly to measure you for your suit," Dunjit quietly said before he exited the room, the door clicking shut.

Jim paused as he tried to hear Bones next door, but he could not hear a thing, so he quickly stripped off his boots, socks, jeans and shirt. He placed them over the arm of the chair and stood nonplussed in the room, turning slowly to see himself reflected from all angles in the mirrors. He grinned as he mused to himself that he scrubbed up alright from all angles. A complete circuit was made and when Dunjit hadn't yet returned, he decided to test the chair. He discovered that he was right, it was one of the most comfortable things he had ever lounged in. He rubbed his hands over the smooth leather, inhaling a scent that was so rare these days. This was how Muscovy found him, the image of a decedent sultan reclining on his throne.

"If the captain would care to step onto the dais?" Muscovy asked, one eyebrow twitching slightly as if it wanted to fully rise up.

Jim smirked as he eased out of the chair and stepped onto the dais, "do they have special classes down here for the eyebrow raise? If I miss my guess, you aren't from around here originally Mr Muscovy, Russia?"

"Just Muscovy, captain, and correct. I was born in another Georgia, one on the other side of the world."

As Jim stood there a soft blue light started to ring his body, emanating from the dais and Muscovy took out a smaller version of the PADD's that he was used to seeing. Obviously his attention on the PADD was noticeable and Muscovy lifted it up for him to see the image of himself and numbers running down the side.

"We do like to keep to the old ways, but of course you do not ignore technology. This is the most accurate way to ascertain your measurements. Of course it can also be done fully clothed, but there is a small degree of inaccuracy that can mar the line of a suit." Muscovy told Jim as he slowly walked around him, keeping an eye on the PADD and the light.

"Of course," Jim responded.

"Now, from what Doctor McCoy was informing me, we shall be required to provide not just the suit." Muscovy reached out a finger and slipped it under the waistband of Jim's underwear, quickly pulling the elastic out and letting it snap back.

"Hey!" Jim protested

"My apologies, captain, but I was not informed if underwear would be required. If these are what you will be wearing this evening I needed to ascertain if they would be acceptable," Muscovy said.

"If you need me to go commando, I'm game," Jim smiled.

A slight quirked of the lips graced the tailor's face, "whatever you are most comfortable with, captain."

Jim looked down at his tight boxer shorts, "I like these," he said.

"They are perfectly acceptable," Muscovy paused as he looked down at his PADD. "You can step off the dais, Dunjit will be back shortly with some selections." With that Muscovy left the room.

Jim was a little nonplussed as to where to go. He stepped off the dais, but wasn't sure if he should sit back down again or just stand and wait. He chose to wait, head looking around at all the corners of the room again. He did not have long before Dunjit entered again, pulling a rack behind him with shirts, and a choice of suits.

Dunjit helped him try on a few of the shirts until they found one that Dunjit was satisfied with. Jim wasn't so sure what was wrong with the other ones, but silently trusted Dunjit's opinion. Clothes had been a necessity for him. He did love his battered leather jacket that had seen him through many a scrape. Overall though he hadn't spent the time and care on clothes like what was happening now. It was one of the things he liked about Starfleet, they asked him his size and then gave him clothes and told him what to wear and when. No fuss, no bother and no thinking about all the different possibilities.

Next up was the actual suit. Pants first it seemed. Again, like with the shirts, Jim had to try on a couple before Dunjit seemed satisfied. Shoes were presented for him to wear and once they were on Dunjit presented him with the jacket to match the pants. Jim had never had anyone help him get dressed after the age of three, so this was a unique experience. He was normally quite verbose in any situation but there was something about the surroundings that was making him hold his tongue and just observe. Once he was in the jacket he moved his arms around, surprised at how snug it looked but that it still had quite a bit of give in it. Jim lifted up the jacket vents to check the view of his ass in the mirrors and smiled at the fit before dropping them down again, satisfied that he did look indeed fine. A classic black suit and crisp white shirt. He had tried to pull the collar out but Dunjit just tucked them straight back in again and Jim took the silent hint that that was the way to wear it.

"If sir would come this way," Dunjit spoke for the first time, opening the door and motioning out into the corridor.

Jim stepped out and noticed that one of the chairs was occupied. He was proud of himself that he managed not to stare open-mouthed. Bones was lounging in the chair with his normal casual grace, but instead of a Starfleet uniform, he was clad head to toe in a black suit that fitted him like a glove, white shirt and black tie. It was nothing that other men wouldn't wear, but this was Bones and he should not look that good. It was not helping Jim's equilibrium at all. He glanced down at himself and then at Bones, who had now stood up from the chair and walked towards him.

"Nice fit, good choice on the shoulders, but one of us needs to change, Muscovy," Bones said to the head tailor who Jim hadn't even realized was standing next to the chair.

Jim finally got control of his dry throat and spoke. "Put us next to each other and we look like those couples that go shopping at the two for one store," he said as he reached out to finger the sleeve of Bones' suit. "I like yours though, so there has to be something else here I can try on?"

Bones turned his head towards Muscovy to speak, "the grey worsted pinstripe?"

"Very nice choice, Doctor McCoy. I shall return with a size for the captain. If he would care to step back into his room?" Muscovy requested and at the nod from Jim he walked about and out into the main store area.

"Dunjit, I believe I saw a gunmetal grey tie that would be suitable for the captain? I can assist him." Bones asked.

Dunjit took the hint and removed himself also from the changing area, leaving the two of them alone.

"Jim," Bones said quietly, "have you ever worn a tie before?"

Jim looked up at Bones in shock, into those hazel eyes so close to his own. He gripped the material of Bones' jacket tight and then released it when he realized that he still had hold of it. "No," he admitted.

"C'mon kid," Bones said as he stepped into Jim's changing room, "time to get you out of that suit."

Jim's mind went blank at what Bones had just said, again he was unsure if Bones had actually flirted at him. Images of himself naked and Bones still clothed flashed before him. He swallowed and followed him into the changing room.

"What, no smart ass comment, Jim?" Bones smiled at him.

"Didn't seem appropriate for here," Jim said as he glanced around, trying not to stare at Bones, but everywhere he looked the man was reflected at him. "You seem very familiar in this store, in these sorts of surroundings. Just a simple country doctor huh?" He raised his chin in challenge at Bones.

"Get out of that suit, kid." Bones stepped towards him and started to remove the jacket off of Jim's shoulders. "Yeah, ok, so my family did alright for themselves but we liked stuff simple."

Jim had taken over the job of removing his own clothes. He tossed the jacket onto the rack and started on his pants, snorting at Bones description of finely tailored suits at obviously the best store Atlanta had to offer as 'simple'.

"Yeah, right, Bones. You been holding out on me. You are too comfortable back at the house and here too. What else you been hiding?" He asked archly.

Before Bones could answer the challenge, there was a knock on the door and the two tailors re-entered the room. Dunjit had a fine grey tie in his hand and Muscovy had a suit to complement the tie.

Bones stepped back and away from Jim and retreated towards the chair, leaning his hip against the side of it, looking like a model from some advert that should be plastered across the pages of a magazine for the discerning male.

Jim stepped out of the pants and turned towards the doorway, realizing that Bones' previous close proximity had him showing to a certain advantage. So he decided to just brazen it out and ignore that he was half-hard already. It wasn't long before he was clothed in the new suit, so he held out his arms and turned towards Bones, "well?"

"Very good choice, Doctor McCoy. While the black is a classic, this is a much better choice. The grey is a marvelous compliment for the captain's striking eyes." Muscovy spoke as Bones prowled towards Jim, looking him over from head to toe.

When Bones reached Jim, he held out his hand towards Dunjit for the tie. Once it was placed in his hand, he spoke to Muscovy, his eyes not once leaving Jim's face. "Give us a couple of minutes will you, Muscovy?"

"Take as long as you need, sir," Muscovy said as he obviously ushered Dunjit from the room.

Jim could only stare back at Bones. His tongue flicked out to wet his lips and he narrowed his eyes as he saw the widening of Bones' eyes at his tongue's movement.

"Turn around Jim," Bones ordered, his voice dropping lower than his normal tones.

Jim obeyed, staying silent as he turned and waited to see what Bones would do next.

Bones stepped right up behind him and draped the tie around his neck.

"Didn't want them to know you didn't know how to tie a tie," Bones murmured into his ear. "Easiest one is probably a half windsor, so pay attention, Jim."

Bones reached over and around him to show him how to tie it, tucking it under the shirt collar and pulling the wide end down lower, just so. It was then crossed over the narrow side and underneath again. The next move was to bring the wide end up and through the loop that had been created. But Bones wasn't finished as he then brought it to the front from the left to the right and then again through the next loop that was created before it was brought down the front and the knot moved upwards to his collar.

"There, that's a half windsor," Bones said as he proceeded to undo the knot and left the tie handing loose around Jim's next. "You do it now," he ordered.

Jim refused to look at Bones, he could feel his breath brushing over his skin the whole time, tickling on his ear and his neck the whole time Bones had been showing him how to do the tie. Jim was pleased that his hands did not shake as he successfully managed to copy Bones' movements. Once he had finished he glanced up at the mirror, into the heat that was Bones' eyes and tilted his head questioningly but his normal cocky attitude still on display.

"You'll do," Bones announced as he stepped away.

Jim felt the loss of Bones' body heat and wanted nothing more than to grab hold of him, press their bodies together and kiss those plump lips, so like those many a female had paid their cosmetic surgeon a lot of money to recreate. He didn't though, Bones' reaction the night before to their almost kiss was playing through his mind still. There had been the two instances of possible flirting from Bones, but it was close enough to their normal teasing manner that Jim thought he might be imagining it. He was a student of body language and he could swear though that Bones was almost as affected by their proximity to each other as Jim was, but he could not be certain. Jim stayed silent and motionless as he waited for a clue from Bones as to how to react.

"Get changed and I'll see you out in the store," Bones told him before walking out of the room.

Jim ran his fingers through his hair and ignored the red flush on his cheeks. He took a moment to compose himself before doing as Bones ordered and walking back out to the store.

Bones was talking with Muscovy, two bags in his hands. When Bones spotted him, he seemed to bid Muscovy farewell and walked towards Jim.

"The suits will be sent to the house this afternoon, we can head back now," Bones said.

They left the store, not speaking a word to one another, but the high flush of color on Bones' cheek did not go unnoticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> I do like my research, as my beta's well know and for this section of the story I had some visual representations for it. So to share with you all.  
> The tailors - <http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3523/3961714018_255acfc36b.jpg>  
> Bones' suit - (from totallybalanced's brilliant Karl Picspam) <http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/3961714012_a2cfcd9ff0.jpg>  
> Jim's suit - add a nice steel grey tie and voila we have Jim Kirk looking fine... <http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3961714024_0fa4173b19.jpg>
> 
> Also if anyone wants some help in tying a tie and other suit information, this page was handy - <http://www.ftmguide.org/suits.html>


	5. Act Three, Scenes Six to Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys discover a surprise is waiting for them back at the house and then off to dinner with all the best Atlanta has to offer.
> 
>  _Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure_

Jim followed Bones into the house, the pair of them still remarkably silent after their little shopping expedition. Devina was waiting for them in the foyer.

"Mr and Mrs Treadway are waiting for you in the living room, Doctor McCoy," she announced.

Bones looked at Jim, a flare of shock in his eyes before he composed himself, and marched over to the door leading to the living room, he placed the bags down on the floor as he entered the room. Jim wasn't going to let Bones deal with the Treadways on his own, so he followed Bones into the room.

As Jim entered it was to see the blonde couple seated in the same chair, Clay in the seat of the chair and Jocelyn perched on the armrest.

"Well LH, seems you've managed to get the world's attention," Clay drawled.

Bones crossed his arms over his chest and just stared at the couple. Jim placed his hand on Bones' shoulder, letting him know that he had him covered.

"You know, we shoulda spotted it when you brought him back with you. Couldn't wait 'til we left before you shacked up in my house, could you?" Clay said.

Jim squeezed Bones' shoulder, keeping him silent. "If you have spoken with Devina you would know that I am in a separate room," Jim responded to the accusation from Clay.

"If you cut your vacation short to race home to check up on us, well, you've wasted your time. Now if you will excuse me and Jim, we are just gonna collect Joanna and enjoy our break," Bones tersely said.

Bones turned towards Jim and placing his own hand on Jim's chest, he directed Jim to leave the room with him, the pair of them abandoning the tense atmosphere of the living room for the unbridled joy of where ever Joanna was.

  
***

  
The two of them spent the rest of the morning and the afternoon in a much more enjoyable state, wandering around the zoo with Joanna. Neither talking about the morning shopping trip or Clay and Jocelyn's return, instead just enjoying the smiles and fun that was Joanna. Occasionally they got an inkling that they were being watched and even a time or two, being filmed. Whichever of them spotted it would then slide closer and an arm or a hand would sneak around the other. As the sun started to sink in the sky, Bones had to order the other two to leave the zoo, so that they could return to the house to get ready for the dinner.

Once back at the house, the babysitter, arranged by Starfleet, had already arrived. Bones was glad to note that Clay and Jocelyn were no where to be seen and that Devina had laid out the suits, which had arrived while they were out. Joining the suits were their purchases from the morning, all pressed and ready to be put on.

Jim took care to dress himself slowly, remembering all the little quirks that Dunjit had shown him that morning. When he picked up the tie, the smooth silk touch of it, memories came flooding back. Bones' breath on his neck, his arms around him and that hard body pressed up against him. Jim glanced down and willed his erection to subside as he didn't have time to take care of it. Really, with all the increase in touching they had done over the past two days, any logical person would likely have thought that his reaction should have subsided but it had only made it worse. He had lived in a state of perpetual readiness, even when he had found the time to 'deal with' the situation it was never quite enough. Last night had been torture and was then compounded in the morning by Bones' behavior. Did he flirt? Was he just being his normal ornery self with the occasional tease? This game of pretend had grown so that Jim had to constantly fight the thoughts that it might be real. That all it would take was one small step and he could have what he had wanted for nearly three years, Bones. Then that little voice he often ignored was telling him to wait, to not fuck it up and that Bones didn't really want him, not in that way, this was too good, his only friend, don't lose him for a moment of stupidity. Now they were both off to a dinner where they had to play the happy couple in front of a few hundred people. On that pleasant note Jim slid his jacket on, admiring the shine of the material and the thin off-white pinstripe that complimented his shirt. He checked the knot on the tie, the fall of his pants and, satisfied that all was well, he walked out of his room and headed down to the foyer to meet Bones.

Bones was waiting, in that sharp black suit that he had tried on in the morning. Jim was pleased to see that he hadn't had time to shave and so his five o'clock shadow was evident. But he had slicked his hair down into what Jim dubbed his "old man" style. Bones would routinely tell anyone who would listen and those who didn't want to, that he was just an old man even though he was only five years older than Jim. Jim had hoped that if he managed to reach the grand old age of thirty that he wouldn't turn into a fifty year old who thought he was as decrepit as a grandfather like Bones seemed to think he had done once he passed that age milestone.

"Nice," Jim commented as he marched across the tiled floor, his new shoes clicking with each step. "Something isn't quite right though."

Bones frowned at him as Jim stepped right up into his personal space, he then lifted his hands quickly and started to rearrange Bones' hair.

Bones lent backwards and tried to slap Jim's hands away, but Jim was more than a match for him and crowded him back into the wall, pressing his body to hold him in place.

"That do will never do, it ruins that fine suit. You ain't no old man, and if you are going to be photographed with me, at least look presentable," Jim said as he gave a final flick and stepped back to admire his handy work.

"Damn it Jim!" Bones growled before turning towards the mirror above the hall table to see what Jim had done to him. He started to raise his hands to adjust his hair back how he wanted when Joanna entered the room and ran towards him crying, "Daddy!"

She smiled up at him as she hugged his legs, "you look real nice."

"See Bones, I was right," Jim said quietly from right behind him. "The only one allowed to touch your hair tonight is me. You even attempt to adjust it and I will not be responsible for your punishment."

Bones twisted to glare at Jim. "Now see here Jim," he started to say but he noticed the flicker in Jim's eyes and turned back to see a petite red-haired ensign standing to attention a few meters from them.

"At ease, ensign," Jim ordered.

"I apologize for interrupting Captain, Doctor, but your transport has arrived," Cheryl Davis announced, her eyes fixed firmly above their heads.

"Have fun Daddy, you too Jim," Joanna said as she tightened her grip on her father, before transferring the hug to Jim.

Jim smiled to be included in the farewell, "you take care squirt, be good for Ensign Davis."

Joanna beckoned the two men down towards her before stage whispering, "I like her, she's gonna show me some new moves at 3-D chess."

Bones laughed and pressed a kiss to his daughters head, "you go to bed when you are told and you know that Devina will tell me if you misbehave. Now scoot and I will see you tomorrow morning."

She started to head towards Ensign Davis before, with an "oh" she was turning back and running up to Jim and looking at him expectantly. Jim's habitual bright smile of all teeth, became smaller and more genuine as he too lent down a pressed a kiss into her forehead. "Sweet dreams," he told her.

As she now had her kisses, she skipped back towards the Ensign and tugged on her hand to drag her to the study, where the chess set was stored.

"Well lets be off then," Jim said as he turned and headed for the front door and the waiting Starfleet arranged transport.

  
***

  
Just like earlier, they had a quiet ride in the car towards the dinner venue. Neither were willing to talk, knowing full well that Starfleet would have been monitoring them via the chauffeur.

Their car slowed down as it neared the Fox theatre, and they had a chance to note the red carpet and the myriad of photographers and journalists interviewing various guests as they arrived for the dinner.

"Damn," Bones muttered.

Jim reached over and patted him on the knee which caused Bones to tilt his head towards him and raise that eyebrow at him.

"Look, all we have to do is smile and pose for a couple of pictures, maybe say hello and then we can make an escape," Jim told him.

"Easy for you, you are used to people looking at you," Bones grumbled.

The car had pulled up to the carpet and a liveried woman opened the door.

"Chin up, Bones," Jim said as he again patted Bones on the knee before stepping out the door.

The first photos were a contrast in expression on their faces. Jim with his smile and the perpetual frown on Bones' face. Jim waved to the photographers as they were directed over towards an area where other couples were posing. Bones' grumpy expression did not wane, in fact it seemed to have settled in for the long term by the constant yelling of their names as the photographers tried to get their attention.

As their turn came along and the pair stood side by side, both unconsciously turning towards each other, Jim was made aware of the look on Bones' face. Drastic measures were obviously required.

Jim slid his hand to cup Bones ass under his jacket. At the tensing of Bones' body, Jim's next intent was revealed by the little smirk on his face.

"Smile for the pretty cameras, peaches!" Jim said under his breath.

"Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor not a damn fruit basket!" Bones protested but as he turned to look and glare at Jim, that cheeky smile on his pretend fiance's face was enough to make him give a little breathy snort and then a bark of laughter.

Jim's smile widened and Bones couldn't help respond in kind. The camera's kept clicking as the two men became oblivious to the whir of the shutters and the attention they were generating and just enjoyed each others company. Totally unaware that the last series of photos were going to be fodder for almost every gossip rag in existence the very next day. They moved off towards the doors of the building, attempting to ignore the journalists who were calling their name.

They could not ignore them for long, and one blonde female was very persistent. It was her calling out a name that caused Jim to pause and look towards her.

"Misty Hyler, Captain Kirk, Misty Hyler!" She called out leaning over the fence waving a microphone towards them showing one of Atlanta's prime tv stations, with links to national and international stations. She was an attractive woman who was dressed similarly to the other guests.

"Now would you call those some real Georgia peaches?" Jim asked.

Bones' only response was a typical roll of his eyes.

"What do you say to the talk that you were caught _in flagrante delicto_ in one of Atlanta's finest fashion establishments this morning?" the perky blonde asked as they drew closer to her, radiating innocence that neither man believed for a second.

Bones growled and Jim squeezed his arm tight. "Lies, scurrilous lies!" Jim declared. "I mean look at him," he continued indicating Bones. "You think a couple of minutes would satisfy me? My man here is to be savored and a few minutes has never been enough, so I think you should check your sources because they do not know us at all. Now we really must be going inside, can't keep Atlanta waiting." With that Jim smiled his patented Kirk charming smile, winked at the camera and directed Bones away and towards the entrance, not once letting go of his arm. Flashes of the cameras kept going off, but the two just kept walking until they were safely away from the paparazzi and inside the foyer of the Fox.

As they walked away from the glass doors and into the crowd of well dressed guests Bones started to move away and disengage his arm from Jim's grip. Jim wasn't having any of that and he pulled him close and whispered in his ear, "happy couple remember?"

Bones' eyes flashed as he tilted his head towards Jim's and murmured back, "I done told you, I don't do hand holding. It ain't me!"

Jim slid his hand down the smooth wool of the black suit, his fingers teased over the flash of the white cuffs of the shirt and his middle finger stroked along Bones' palm before he linked his fingers with Bones'. "Well it is me, and I'm not letting you go," Jim challenged back.

Bones opened his mouth to reply, but was halted when his name was called. He turned to see Councilor Algernon walking towards them with a wide smile on his face.

"So glad you both could make it this evening, such a pleasure to see you again LH and this must be the delightful Captain Kirk that we all owe so much too?" The Councilor said as he walked up to them. He extended his hand in greeting and Bones shook it with his free hand and then waited patiently for Jim to let go so that he too could shake the Councilor's hand.

Jim held out his left hand towards the Councilor as he smiled with a touch of sass. "Apologies Councilor for the wrong hand, but I just don't want to let him go. Took me long enough to catch him and there are too many beautiful creatures around that might be too tempting." Jim winked as the Councilor laughed at him.

"Captain, you will fit in just fine around these parts, and do call me Algernon, please. I have long been a friend of the McCoys, well before I was a Councilor. Please follow me and I will show you to your table." Algernon turned and started to wend his way through the crowd, nodding and smiling at acquaintances as he kept up a sotto voice running commentary for Jim's and Bones' benefit. Pithy and sly comments on the other various guests, who to avoid and who to talk to, but there was no malice involved, just a good host making sure that his guests would be well taken care of.

"As we are now friends, please call me Jim. I have no Starship to captain here, I am just an honored guest. Here to enjoy a nice evening with my partner," Jim said during their wending between elegantly dressed tables housing equally splendidly clothed people.

"I would be well pleased to do so, Jim," Algernon had stopped to smile at the pair of them. "I am so glad that LH has found someone to care for him. I watched him grow up from a young whipper snapper and the stories I can tell you!"

"Councilor, I am sure that my exploits were remarkably tame and mundane compared to anything Jim got up to," Bones said.

Jim noted the slight high color on Bones' cheeks, hidden from all other guests due to the low ambient lighting, but Jim knew every plane of that face and the slightest change was one he was aware of.

"I'm sure we can trade stories later, Algernon. I would be pleased to hear more," Jim said.

"Jim!" Bones warned as he squeezed tight on Jim's hand.

Jim just widened his smile, knowing that it would infuriate Bones even more.

Algernon had turned back and continued on his way towards the large table at the front of the room. At the sight of two of the guests seated at the table he stopped.

Jim pulled Bones closer to him when he recognized certain smooth female tones.

"I hope you don't mind Councilor, but the Robertson's asked if they could sit with the Slater's who were on the table we were at, so we kindly offered to move to their seats." Jocelyn had stood, and extended a hand towards Algernon as she spoke, a soft placating smile upon her face.

Algernon smoothly accepted her hand, raising it to his lips to press a dry kiss, his political training jumping to the fore. He knew this was now going to be an interesting evening and that he wouldn't dare to leave the table for long to cater to his other guests. If did manage to leave he was sure that world war four would be likely to break out again between the former Mrs McCoy and the two men she had married. Jim was the wild-card in the situation, he appeared to be a happy soul, but someone who had made captain so young and had done what he did had to have a ruthless protective streak. Algernon had refused to believe many of the stories that had spread through the city after the death of LH's father, but with so few siding on the McCoy's side and LH's embracing of the bottle, the damage had been done. All his own considerable power was nothing when faced with Ida-Mae and her gang of gossips. So he had quietly supported LH and Eleanora, doing his best to try and talk to the young man that seemed beyond everyone elses reach, while assisting a grieving Eleanora to leave the town that was now treating her beloved memories so badly. He had tried to convince her to stay and help her son, but harsh words from LH and then a refusal to even speak to his mother had sent that gentle woman back to her relatives, seeking the love and warmth of the only family that was left to her.

Algernon introduced Jim and LH to the other guests on the table and after some brief getting to know you discussions they all took their seats as the entrees started to be brought out. Conversation that evening was lively, if there was the occasional lull as a comment was passed from Clay, most others on the table paid them no heed after taking their cue from their host that the honored guests were Leonard and Jim.

The guests at the other tables spent most of their night watching the head table. Particularly the Johnson's who had gotten wind that their place at the head table had been moved to the table with the Bleeker's, lovely people if a little enthusiastic at times, so as to accommodate the new guests of honor. The lovely entertainment that was occurring on stage was nothing compared to the byplay on the head table. It was obvious to all that Jocelyn really had let slip a prize catch. That the man who had saved Earth was smitten with the doctor was obvious to all. There was many a small touch, little smiles and then full out laughs as that handsome captain had eyes for no other but Leonard McCoy.

A few brave souls headed for the head table to express their greetings and pay their respects to the man who was the hero of the planet as well as being a son of another legendary hero. Prime amongst those was the Scion of the McCain clan, DB to her friends and Daisy-Belle to her enemies. With her rich auburn hair and perky cleavage on its best display while framed in emerald green silk, she sauntered over the to head table, and as she had told her friends later, engaged the two best looking gentlemen in the room in 'talk' with her honeyed voice. Her keen eyes noted that although the good doctor was unfailingly polite and had his own considerable southern charm, it was the blazing passion of the youngest captain in Starfleet history that engaged her interest. Any other woman who wasn't as observant as her would have thought they were in with a chance with Kirk, but she noted that even though he was flirting heavily with her, any chance he could get his eyes would flicker back towards his doctor, or he would reach and touch him with hands or the simple press of a thigh.

The rest of the evening passed for the other guests with gossip being traded, stories recounted and dismissed as fallacy. How could the man who had saved Admiral Pike's life with his brilliant skills be the one to have actively killed his father, they wondered and debated? Images of the visit to the zoo were replayed surreptitiously and all who saw it agreed that Joanna McCoy was a darling child who was a credit to her father and to his new partner. The fact that there were more images of Jim and Joanna sneaking looks and planning things towards Leonard did more for the Hoi Polloi to turn sides towards the pair of men and away from the gossip of Ida-Mae who had long been the bane of existence of most of the guests with her own vitriol.

The night was nearing it's end when the tension that had been bubbling quietly at the main table spilled over. That the cause appeared to be Principal D'tellaz of the Harvard Preparatory School, was never anticipated.

  
***

  
"Fuck's sake Bones, let me hit the bastard!" Jim growled as Bones pushed him out the door of the ballroom and into a side corridor.

"If I was gonna let you punch him then I would tell you to go for his left side. He goes down like a sack of shit. He might have that prominent jaw, but I swear it's made of glass," Bones said as he walked past Jim, rubbing his hand in agitation through his hair.

Jim stopped glaring in anger at the door back into the ballroom to watch his friend stalk away. "Oh there is totally a story behind that comment! You've socked him one before? Spill Bones, this has gotta be good!" Jim followed Bones and grabbed his arm to make him turn back towards him.

"Back in high school, Jocelyn was his girlfriend and at a Social she invited me to dance to piss him off. Well he didn't react well and said some things I had been taught were not polite. We had a little 'discussion' and I punched him. That night Jocelyn left with me and well she wasn't his girlfriend anymore but mine. So yes, left side of his jaw is effective, alright. You finished asking bloody stupid questions?" With that Bones stalked off to further down the corridor.

Jim paused to consider what had just been revealed before rushing after Bones again.

"What are you gonna do about Joanna? Sending her off to boarding school will kill her. She has no idea they have this all planned. I bet Devina doesn't know either." Jim was rambling away. "She will have no one there who she will know. They already abandon her enough and this, with you off on our mission, it's just, well horrible to do to a kid like that!"

Bones rounded on him, the anger evident in his face. "Damn it Jim, I know it and I can't do a damn thing. There is that stupid judges order that states I have absolutely no say in my daughters life. I love her more than anything and these past few days almost make me consider going awol and just leaving with her." Bones poked Jim in the chest, "don't you even think about helping me. I can't and won't do that to her. Out of that horrible period of my life, that is what I regret the most, that I didn't even fight for her. I should have walked away back in high school and just let Jocelyn deal with Clay herself!"

"Hell no, If there was no you and Jocelyn, you would never have met me! Now that woulda been a tragedy!" Jim declared.

Bones just snorted in response so Jim was forced to bring out the killer point. "Even worse, there would never have been Joanna," Jim said seriously as he lifted up his hands to cradle Bones' face.

Bones stared at Jim, his point about Joanna was the killer to end his rant. For how long they stood there just staring at each other, neither knew. Jim was moving his thumbs ever so slowly across the cheek of Bones and eventually Bones was moved to speak. "Are we being watched still?" he asked.

Jim started to lean towards him, his eyes dropping to focus on Bones' lips. He whispered, "no," before closing his eyes and kissing Bones.

The first press was a gentle, tentative kiss. Bones' eyes were wide with shock before instinct and desire kicked in and he grabbed Jim to pull him closer and deepen the kiss, his own eyes closing.

The gentleness gave way to passion and all the teasing of the past few days erupted. Hands dropped from a face to grip around a body, hands seeking under a jacket for a back and an ass. Hands and arms that had wrapped around the other body now found themselves gripping a tie and undoing it and the top few buttons of a shirt to bare the throat to the air, fingers teasing over the soft skin at the base of the neck. Tongues sliding and flitting against each other. Hands moving up to flow through thick hair, pulling and holding and tilting a head just so for better access.

The kisses went on for what seemed like hours and also not long enough. Jim eventually pulled back and opened his eyes. "Bones," he whispered as he took in the redness of Bones' lips. He smiled as he realized that if they returned to the ballroom now, all would know that Bones had just been thoroughly kissed.

"What the fuck are we doing Jim?" Bones asked bewilderingly.

"What we should have a long time ago," Jim replied.

Bones glanced down to see that Jim's tie was in his hand. At some stage he had removed it and he couldn't even remember doing so. He reached up and loosened his own tie, popping the first few buttons on his own shirt open.

"God Jim, we can't go back in there now, they will all know what we been up to out here," Bones grouched.

Jim laughed, "Bones, they think that you and I fucked this morning at the tailor's and really, I so wanted to. You are never allowed to wear that suit again unless the only person seeing it will be me. You've just made it worse too. All disheveled but oh so suave. Rough but polished and I just want to push you up against that wall, finish stripping off most of that suit and fuck you."

"Jim, if you are horny, go find one of those women in there or that stupid journalist with the tits. Or better yet just use your hand." Bones shoved at him.

"I've been keeping my hand busy since we've been here," Jim pushed back. "Well, we are engaged remember, and me picking up some random chick just so that I can have hollow sex while I imagine they are you, it's not gonna happen. You, you stupid dumbass! You are who I want." Jim grabbed Bones on the upper arms.

Bones closed his eyes, he couldn't bear to look at those ice blue eyes that were radiating heat. Making him think that this was real, that Jim wanted him and him alone. That all that Kirk sexual interest was focused solely on him.

"You stupid idiot," Bones heard before he was being kissed again and who was he kidding, this was perfect and solid and real.

Jim opened his mouth as he heard Bones growl deep in his throat, the vibrations tickling along his tongue.

Eventually they broke apart, breathing heavily.

"Home, we need to go home," Jim said. "Now!" He punctuated that last word with a small push forward of his hips and Bones felt Jim's full interest slide along his own.

"Yes," he agreed, grabbing Jim's hand and dragging him back into the ballroom and over to Algernon to say their thanks and apologize for the scene that was caused.

The Councilor assured them that all was well and that Jocelyn and Clay had left. He smiled as he took in their disheveled appearance and Jim's tie in LH's hand. He knew that the two men were completely unaware that the rest of the guests were very familiar with what had occurred between them out in the corridor even before they returned. A town like Atlanta, and a woman like DB, who's attention they had garnered earlier. Well, she was just going to follow where the juiciest scene was going to take place, of course. Algernon mused that he would have to have a little chat with the lucious DB after he got these boys sorted. He invited them to use his own car and driver as he would still be here a while longer, he could spare the man. The two of them bid him goodnight and Algernon smiled to see two people so good for each other.

  
***

  
Jim made sure that he kept hold of Bones hand for the whole car ride back to the Treadway's. Bones kept flickering little glances over to him, so Jim scooted closer to him. He wasn't going to allow Bones to have any second or third thoughts. When they got back to the house, he was going to kiss him again and maybe a little more 'fun' too.

The arrived back at the house and on entering Devina was waiting for them.

"I trust you both had a pleasant evening?" She asked. "Ensign Davis left when Mr and Mrs Treadway returned. Joanna had a lovely time and went to bed at her proper time. Is there anything I can do for you both before I retire for the evening?"

Jim and Bones looked at each other, both a little unsure at the welcome from Devina.

"We might just have a nightcap outside before we retire too," Jim offered.

"Certainly captain. Just head outside and I shall bring you each a glass," and with that Devina turned to head towards the study.

Jim shrugged and pulled Bones to head out to the back porch. They both stood, still holding hands as they looked out over the lawn, the moonlight illuminating the white of the small rondel patio that led towards the copse of trees. Jim spotted the blue light of the insect catchers that were hanging from most of the trees. He had heard about the plethora of mosquitoes that were still a menace on the warm nights down here in Georgia.

Devina walked out and presented them each with their own whiskey glass and a generous measure of whiskey. They smiled their thanks as she wished them a good night and exited back into the house.

In silence they both took a slow sip of the fine whiskey. The heard Jocelyn's voice talking to Devina and Bones looked at Jim and nodded towards the patio. Jim nodded and headed over towards it, across the lawn that they had played on yesterday. When he reached it he turned to Bones and took another sip, just taking in the view of the man in the moonlight. At the creak of the back door, Bones swore and put down his glass on the bench that ran along the patio's outer edge. He reached over and removed Jim's so that he could place it down next to his and grabbed hold of Jim's arm. Once he had done so, he pulled him off the patio and into the dark spaces of the copse of trees.

"Damn bloody woman still doesn't know when to leave well enough alone," Bones grumbled as he pulled Jim with him behind the trunk of a large elm tree.

They both stood quiet as they heard her call out for "Leonard." Her voice rang clear over the whirring noises of the local insect population.

Jim knew that Bones was close to one of his explosions of temper and Jim considered the possibility that Joanna might hear the argument. He didn't want Bones to say something that could again be misconstrued by his daughter. He had been impressed with the way that Bones didn't once mention Jocelyn around Joanna and when she was brought up, he kept his conversation neutral, which is more than many divorced couples do.

Jim pressed Bones in close to him and well, if Bones wanted to pay attention, certain things would be obvious.

"Time to give her a good reason why she should leave you and I alone," Jim whispered before leaning forward and licking a path up to Bones' ear.

"Jim!" Bones said, his tone expressing his shock. Eyes wide and hesitant like a cornered animal, he stared at Jim.

Jim slid around to face Bones, he grabbed hold of each of Bones' wrists and pressed forward so that they were flush against each other.

"Thought about this for a long time," Jim murmured against Bones lips. He then titled his head up and pressed a soft kiss to those lips, eyes drifting shut he savored the moment.

Bones, after the brief initial shock, pressed back and started to participate in the kiss. His tongue flicked out to moisten the crease of Jim's lips. It was the invitation Jim had been seeking and he parted his lips and slid his own tongue out to mingle with Bones'.

In the still of the warm summer's evening, the sound of the chirping of the insects was blending with the heavy breathing and the quiet moans from the two men. Jim eventually relaxed his grip on Bones' wrists so that he could slide his own hand to grasp at Bones' hip and pull him closer. The other hand was smacked into the rough bark of the elm, by Bones' face. Jim pressed hard and up towards Bones, rubbing their erections against each other and dragging a moan from one of them. If you asked them later who it was, neither would have been able to tell as they were both in a state to not fully comprehend where one started and the other ended.

Bones moved his hand up to tug at the soft white cotton shirt of Jim's, exposing more of his throat to the sultry air. Using his thumb he tilted up Jim's head, broke away from his lips and ran kisses and licks and nibbles down Jim's chin and throat until he reached the soft skin at the base. Sucking the skin in, marking Jim while all time they both continued to just thrust and slide against each other.

"Fuuuck Bones," Jim moaned at the possessive nature of Bones. "Bastard!" He continued, "yes, there, oh god, fuck!"

Jim then seemed to come to one of his lighting quick decisions and his hands flew down and around to the front of Bones pants, making short work of the fastenings.

Before Bones could fully register what was going on, Jim had his pants open, shirt pulled up and away and then his dick was exposed to the air.

"What?" Bones asked groggily as he pulled away from the tempting skin of Jim.

There was a brief look of intense desire from Jim, before he was dropping to his knees and Bones thought he heard him say, "can't be damaging that fine suit," before Jim made his mind go blank.

A noise was pulled from deep in Bones' throat, it might have been a word at it's inception, but by the time it reached his tongue and his lips it was just a primitive noise. Bones smacked his head back against the tree and gripped the bark hard to prevent himself from sinking his fingers into Jim's thick hair and directing his motions while he sucked his cock. It was a close run thing to want to take control, but then Jim would adjust his tongue or scrape his teeth or bring a hand up to squeeze and fondle before sliding away, so Bones was more than happy to let Jim work some of that Kirk magic that he had heard so much about.

Bones' orgasm was upon him so suddenly, that he hardly had any time, apart from a breathy, "Jim," as a warning. Instead of removing his mouth, as Bones' expected to happen, Jim paused in his motion. Jim made a pretty good show of swallowing most of the orgasm down.

Jim released Bones' now half turgid length, taking the time to admire it's still impressive size. He wiped a hand across his mouth and flicked the semen that didn't quite make it into his mouth onto the grass around them. He cleaned his hand quickly on that grass, before tucking Bones' away and standing up to face him. He stared into those hazel eyes, so interchangeable in color, but now a darker green shade, ringed by black. He knew he wasn't the most experienced guy at giving head, but he had tried every trick that he did know to make it good for Bones. There was still the little pesky problem that they hadn't really discussed what this was between them. Not that they were great talkers about feelings anyway, but still this was something that they probably did need to do that 'talking' about.

Jim dropped his eyes, unsure how to read the look in Bones' eyes. As he glanced away, he, for the second time in a matter of days, saw a woman disappearing around a corner, dress flashing behind her.

Bones then completely surprised Jim. He grabbed his face and pulled him towards him so that he could kiss him. This was no gentle tentative kiss, this was passion, plain and simple. Bones seemed to be trying to suck his own taste out of Jim's mouth. Jim wasn't going to let him do that without a fight.

Slowly the kiss evolved, to a slower pace, before they broke apart and stared at each other again. Jim took in Bones total dishevelment, from his hair, to his loose tie and top button undone, to his shirt hanging out and his jacket slightly askew. His pants had only been partly done up, the top button still loose and inviting Jim to tug on it and undo it again. He resisted.

"We... Ah..." Bones paused. "I need to go now," and with that he turned away from Jim and walked quickly back into the house.

Jim watched him, wanting to call to him, to halt him, but knew that it probably wasn't the best of ideas. Once Bones was inside the house, the door closely silently behind him, Jim reached down and palmed his still hard cock. "I'll deal with you in a minute," he talked to himself as he then strode over to collect their glasses and return to the house.


	6. Scenes Eleven to Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world. ~Thomas Carlyle_

Bones exited his room, that damned rabbit in his hands. Waiting just outside his door, in shorts, t-shirt and sneakers was Jim, just leaning casually against the wall. At the sight of the soft toy, Jim grinned.

"Aww Bones, Rascally wuvs you! He just can't stay away," Jim purred towards Bones.

"Don't you give me no sass, you damned infant. Now put him back where he belongs," Bones glared at him and shoved the toy into Jim's chest.

Jim brought a hand up quickly to land over the top of Bones', holding it and the rabbit in place. He continued to smile at Bones, but his eyes narrowed registering his intent to continue on from the night before.

"Just, don't Jim," Bones spoke quietly. "Not at the moment. Ok?"

Jim nodded and let go of Bones' hand.

"C'mon man, time for a run," he said slapping Bones on the shoulder and turning him around to head towards the stairs. Unbeknown to Bones, Jim tossed the rabbit back into Bones' room, as he passed, quickly making sure it landed safely on his bed, before joining his friend.

The pair exited the house, not seeing another soul, and started running. Bones set a strong pace, obviously using the run to work through some of his frustration. Jim, understanding his friend, kept quiet. Now was not a time to pester Bones out of his funk with many a light hearted quip or a stupid story.

They returned to the house, sweaty and well exercised. Both headed up to their respective rooms, still cloaked in comfortable silence.

Jim smiled as he heard the "God damn it Jim," from inside Bones' room as he took up the same spot in the corridor as he had earlier in the morning. Bones had obviously found Rascally again.

Bones opened his door as if it had personally offended him. Jim chuckled at his friend. The chuckle alerted Bones to Jim's presence, in jeans and a dark blue denim shirt.

Bones had learned from his last experience and didn't hand the rabbit over to Jim. He just marched straight past him and headed for Joanna's room. Once there he placed the rabbit down by her pillows and turned to leave the room. He had to squeeze past a smirking Jim, who was now lounging in the doorway.

Jim moved forward to crowd Bones up against the other side of the door frame, "can I talk to you yet?" Jim asked as he pressed a kiss to the spot just below Bones' ear.

Bones growled and pushed him away. "Not now Jim, after breakfast!"

Jim moved and led the way towards the kitchen. They entered to find Clay, Jocelyn and Joanna all seated at the table.

"Well lookie who finally decided to grace us with their presence! Sleep well after your 'exercise' last night, did you, Jimmy-boy?" Clay smirked over his coffee cup.

Jim had stayed standing while Bones slipped onto the chair next to Joanna. "Jimmy-boy?" He mouthed at Bones.

"Welcome to the South, Jim-Boy," Bones replied before turning to shoot a warning glare towards Clay.

"I slept just fine, had some more exercise just this morning too," Jim replied.

Clay slapped his hands down on the table and half rose out of his chair. "Now see here you stupid Yankee, not in my damned house you don't!"

Jim stepped away from the wall and towards the table, watching Bones lean over quietly to talk to Joanna, after she had jumped and looked scared at Clay's outburst.

Joanna slipped out of her chair and with a tentative smile at Jim, left the room.

"Devina, could you please go and help Joanna?" Bones asked while the tension simmered in the room. Devina closed the door behind her as she quickly left the room.

"How could you, Leonard? In my house, with Joanna sleeping not three doors away? You never did have any sense of decorum, you or that so called Captain of the Universe. Thankfully Clay was correct that Joanna needs to be sent away to school. She has too many McCoy habits ingrained in her that need to be seen to," Jocelyn hissed towards Bones.

Bones reached out to grab onto Jim's arm, stilling him from speaking.

"Me and that Captain of the fucking Universe are taking _my_ daughter. I don't care what that damn judge had to say," Bones sternly told Jocelyn. "You already broke it allowing me to stay here while you and him gallivanted off trying to find a cure for his shooting blanks. Welcome to your empty life, Jocelyn. Oh yes, I know all about his little problem, don't you try and interrupt me. You think Ida-Mae is a gossip queen, you ain't heard medical staff go at it. The world might have moved on but Georgia is still Georgia and you ain't nothing if you can't carry on the family line. There is as much a cure for Clay as there was for my father. So, me, JoJo and Jim are leaving this damned house today. No matter what fool thoughts your Daddy and the rest of your family put in your head, money can not buy you happiness. We had plenty but it was never enough for you. I kept working hard cause you always wanted more. More things, more times when I should have been home. I couldn't win and I shoulda put my foot down. We both destroyed our marriage but I thank the Lord for it, cause you gave me one perfect thing, as Jim reminded me yesterday, Joanna. You fix that god damned ruling or else I will start talking to all those media outlets that have been begging me and Jim for 'statements'. You want to come up against me and the man who saved all your lives? You really think the public are gonna believe you? I can whip up such a storm that you'll never recover from. You'll never be able to hold your head up anywhere round here again! You know how much I hate to air my dirty laundry for all to see. I'll proudly hang it from the bloody Enterprise for Joanna."

Clay had stepped up behind Jocelyn while Bones had let fly at her. He opened his mouth to let loose onto the man he had enjoyed turning into a cuckold, but Bones got in first.

"Don't you say one fucking word," Bones pointed at Clay. "I will hit you again, no matter that my momma taught me to be polite in someone else's house. You hurt my little girl. Never again." With that Bones turned on his heel and stalked out the room, slamming the door open; he had said his piece.

At the opening of the door, Devina jumped back out of the way. "You get all that Devina?" Bones asked, one eyebrow raising as he crossed his arms to glare at the housekeeper. "Make sure to tell Ida-Mae that her beloved Clay is shooting blanks. No little Treadways to follow him into this world, 'cause that dog just won't hunt!" On that note Bones left the Treadway's and Jim behind.

Jim smiled towards the other two in the room with him. He lent forward to say quietly, "we went for a run this morning, good exercising it is."

Jim scampered from the room to catch up to Bones. He had to almost run across the foyer before he caught up to Bones on the stairs.

"Damn Bones, you are hot when you get riled!" He said as he came up behind him.

Bones stopped dead in his tracks to turn and roll his eyes at Jim. "God dammit Jim, I am not going to have sex with you." He turned away from Jim to continue up the stairs and around the corner.

"Curse some more, I never realized how much I love having you get angry." Jim's voice had dropped a few octaves as he watched the muscles in Bones' ass as he walked ahead of him.

It was the final straw for Bones and even though he didn't know where Jim was looking, the words were enough. He spun back around and pushed him into the wall, "you little motherfucker... god Jim!" Bones then did the unexpected, well the unexpected for Jim, he kissed him.

If Jim was asked later what the kiss was like he would have said that Bones just kissed the heck out of him. Hands all over, never still, both grappling and fighting and pure passion.

A cough interrupted the pair. They broke away to look towards the sound to see Joanna outside her bedroom door. "That's kinda gross," she told them.

Jim fondly laughed at the look on Joanna's face, he noted that Bones had dropped his head with a hint of embarrassment. Jim slipped out from Bones hold and walked over to Joanna. "Now which books have you packed, little lady? 'Cause you know what, I think you are going to need them all." Jim turned back towards Bones to smile at him before heading into Joanna's room to help her find as many bags as possible to pack all her books.

Bones paused as he contemplated the two people now in that room, both of them meaning a lot to him. He joined them to help in the packing.

  
***

  
Blessedly, the Treadway's kept out of their way and they had a pleasant trip from Roswell to Hartsfield-Jackson. Bones had contacted his mother and Joanna's excitement that she was going to stay with her grandma was uncontainable. There were tears welling in Devina's eyes as she said farewell and it seemed that Joanna didn't quite understand that her 'holiday' with her grandmother might end up being permanent.

Once at the airport, Jim headed off to arrange the tickets. Bones called out to him to wait, but Jim just breezily responded, "I know Bones, window seat," and kept heading over to the ticket counter.

A few silly games were needed to pass the time before their shuttle was called and they were heading off to Las Vegas. Transferring from there onto a smaller shuttle, again with Bones seated by the window and Joanna in between the two, they landed late in the afternoon at South Lake Tahoe airport. Waiting for the trio was an elegantly dressed older woman with striking green eyes.

"Grandma!" Joanna yelled, as she pulled out of Bones' grip to make a beeline for the woman, who was laughing and kneeling down to greet the child.

"I'll get the bags," Jim stated as he walked off towards the carousel, not giving Bones a chance to offer.

He watched quietly as the three McCoy's greeted each other and caught up. He smiled at the put upon expression on Bones' face whenever he was being addressed by his mother. But as soon as her attention was turned towards Joanna, there was such a softening on his face that Jim was determined to make sure stayed there for as long as possible.

As Jim joined them with the trolley and the bags, Bones smiled at him and introduced him to his mother. "This is Jim Kirk, my friend. Jim this is my mother, Eleanora McCoy."

"A pleasure to meet you Mrs McCoy." Jim greeted Eleanora before addressing Joanna. "So that is where you get that name from, squirt?"

"Yep, although my eyes aren't as pretty as Grandma's. Everyone knows Jim, Grandma. They kept stopping to talk to him," Joanna told them, babbling away as she held tight onto her grandmother's hand.

"Your eyes are very pretty, squirt. I like them, now why don't we head off just in case some other people decide to stop and talk to us again?" Jim said.

"Very well said, young man. Come along this way. LH, you bring the bags," Eleanora ordered her son.

"Yes, LH. Bring the bags!" Jim smirked as he pushed the trolley into Bones hand and offered his arm to Eleanora.

They drove out of the populated area and along a road that was sign posted Emerald Bay Road. Man made structures gave way to nature - pine trees and mountains and Lake Tahoe to the right. Jim sat back and allowed the conversation to flow over him. Before long they turned off onto Upper Cascade Lake Road and at the end of it, they puled up to a well maintained house overlooking the lake. It was split into two sections with a glass atrium linking them. Eleanora drove the car under the building into the garage area and ushered them upstairs.

"Now this way is where Joanna will be staying," she said as she pushed open a door to reveal a lovely room that contained a wall full of bookshelves. Empty and just waiting to be filled. "Why don't you unpack your bags, Joanna, and I think those shelves need some books in them."

Eleanora ushered the boys out of the room and over the glass walkway towards the other section of the house. She paused halfway over so that they could admire the view.

"I hope you are not referring to my granddaughter's height with your nickname of her?" She said to Jim.

Jim smiled as he responded, "not at all Mrs McCoy, young Joanna just happens to be remarkably proficient with a hose."

"Ah, a trick I do believe her father taught her. Please, call me Eleanora," she said as she continued the tour into the other side.

Once there, she walked down the central corridor and then opened a door at the end to reveal a master suite, with one large bed in the center, facing the windows and another superb view of the lake.

"Now this is your room, enjoy and Joanna and I will see you at dinner. Don't worry LH, there is a code on the interconnecting door of which Joanna does not have access." With a pat on the cheek of Bones and little sly smile and a wink at Jim, she left two speechless men in the room.

Jim was the first to break, laughing uproariously. "You know I've never had a parent tell me to have sex with their child before! Let along arrange a couple of hours privacy for that to occur."

"Oh for the love of Christ, my mother has seen those blasted news reports and thinks that you and I are, well, you know!" Bones growled as he dumped his bag on the ground and stalked over towards the windows.

Jim put his own bags down and walked over to the other man who was radiating tension.

"Well, we are, you know," Jim replied. "There is a relationship between us. Why not take your mother up on her offer of a nice relaxing couple of hours?"

"Christ's sake, Jim. It takes a while to build a relationship and one blow job does not count!" Bones resolutely refused to look at Jim.

Jim grabbed onto Bones' arm and made him turn to face him. "You and I have lived in each others pockets for three years and not managed to kill each other. We _have_ a relationship. One that is a damn sight stronger than the one that ex-wife of yours has I can bet. Why not have the icing on the cake? I've wanted to bed you for a long time, but you were my friend first and most importantly. Well, we managed to do something pretty darn nice last night and it hasn't wrecked our friendship. The entire fucking world thinks we have been doing it for years. I say we listen to them and make this real, not pretend. I got you nice and hard up against that tree, I wanted to push you into that wall at the theater and fuck you blind and guess what? We have a big, soft bed over there and whether you like it or not I plan on making full use of it with you."

Jim finished his diatribe, fists clenched at his side. Panting hard as he waited to see what Bones' reaction would be.

Bones stared at him, eyes flashing with anger, before he growled and then reached up to grip Jim's arms. He tightened that grip and then walked Jim back towards the bed.

Jim's lips parted as he realized what Bones' intentions were, the change from the fire of anger to the fire of desire in his eyes. Jim's hands came up to start undoing the buttons on Bones' shirt and he lowered his head to meet Bones' lips.

Their torrid kiss broke when Jim was shoved back onto the bed. Bones stood over him, shirt undone, bare chest heaving. Jim licked his lips as he scooted back further along the bed, kicking his shoes off as he did so. While Bones still stood there, Jim reached up to start undoing his own shirt. Doing his own slow little strip tease, slowly releasing each button and widening the shirt until finally it lay open, his own chest now on display. He licked his tongue from one side of his top lip to the other.

Bones responded to this blatant invitation by joining Jim on the bed and making good use of his own tongue. He licked a path from just above Jim's jeans all the way up to his neck and the mark that he had made the night before, that Jim had conveniently kept covered up all day.

"Fuck, Bones, yes!" Jim cried as he wrapped a leg around Bones' to pull him down so that they were skin to skin. Jim then used his feet to help kick off Bones' shoes. The pair of them twisting and writhing their legs, arms and hands entwining and gripping.

Clothes were being removed and kisses exchanged. Even though Jim was underneath Bones, there was still a silent battle for who could get the other naked quickest.

When all that remained were their underwear, they both paused. Bones raised up on his arms, his biceps flexing as he looked down at Jim.

Jim glanced down their bodies towards the impressive tenting going on in both their pants.

"You know I had planned to fuck you, but I'm liking you like this," Jim said. "Wanna fuck me?" he asked with a little smile.

Bones agreed to the suggestion. Well, Jim was pretty sure he did. He never said anything, but if the kiss was anything to go by then Bones was definitely hot for the idea. Bones removing his and Jim's underwear quickly and efficiently was another hint. Mind you it wasn't easy and took a bit of wriggling around, but anything that brought more skin on skin contact was very welcome to Jim.

"You better have some lube," Bones murmured into his ear as he slid his cock up alongside Jim's.

Jim groaned at the feel of the hot smooth skin on his own, he then managed to laugh around his groan as the first words that Bones had spoken since he made the decision to sleep with him registered.

"Roll off me stud and I will get some supplies," Jim pushed at Bones chest.

Bones complied and rolled onto his back on the bed, arms crossing behind his head as he watched with heavy lidded eyes as Jim headed over to his bag.

It took Jim a moment to find his toiletries bag and the lube contained within. He turned back to the bed displaying the tube for Bones.

Jim swallowed as he allowed his gaze to start at Bones' head and trail it down his smooth chest, bathed in golden light from the sun. Down to the impressive erection that twitched as his gaze wandered over it.

"Is Mini Bones pleased to see me?" Jim asked. "Cause Big Jim is happy to see him."

"God, your ego kid!" Bones snorted as he glanced down at himself and then at Jim. "I think I need to do a serious eye test on you if you think I've got a Mini Bones and you are a Big Jim. Get that ass over here and I'll prove something to you."

"You'll prove something to me?" Jim asked as he stalked over to the bed, tossing the tube back and forth between his hands. "Promise?"

Jim had perched on the edge of the bed, just out of reach of Bones. He tossed the lube to land on Bones' chest.

Bones picked up the tube, flicked open the cap and squirted out a generous amount into his hand, then flipping the cap closed with his other hand he tossed it back to smack into Jim's chest.

It landed on the bedspread but Jim's attention was on the slicked fingers that were now working up and down on Bones' cock.

"You bastard," Jim accused. Breathing heavily he picked up the tube and like Bones, slicked up his own fingers, then he rose up higher on his knees and reached behind himself.

Jim started to moan as he opened and prepared himself. The rough initial burn giving way to a more pleasurable sensation the harder he worked the opening. No matter what he had said about a 'Mini Bones', he was fully aware that Bones was nicely endowed and it would take some working to get all of him into his ass. Jim's eyes closed as he tossed his head back when he managed to find his sweet spot.

The next thing he knew, the bed had dipped and as he opened his eyes Bones reached him and flipped him onto his stomach, lifted his hips up and spread his ass cheeks wide. Jim grabbed a pillow and shoved it under his hips, bringing his rear closer to Bones, so Bones took the invitation and started to push in.

"Yes," Jim drawled at the slow creep of intense pressure. No matter how slicked they both were, it was always going to be painful the first time.

Bones was holding tight onto Jim's hip, making new marks on him. This time it would be five small bruises created by his fingertips. His other hand was gripping almost as tight around the base of his own cock, slowly directing it in and making sure that he didn't do what he really wanted, which was to plunge fully in and start pounding away. All in good time.

"Bones! Just fucking do it!" Jim ordered.

"No," Bones responded as he slapped Jim on the ass. "Behave yourself, this is at my pace and you will damn well like it!"

"I like it too much, now hurry up," Jim wheedled.

Bones lent forward to press further in, moving both arms to brace himself just above Jim. He pressed nibbling kisses along all the slightly freckled skin of Jim's back as he inexorably pushed all the way in. He rested his now sweaty forehead down on Jim's back as he felt his ass adjust around his cock.

Jim twisted his head around, inviting a kiss and Bones complied. It was messy and off to the side mostly, due to the angle, but neither man cared. There was too much sensation happening in their nether regions.

Jim then pushed up higher, ordering Bones to move.

"You are a pushy bottom and I should punish you," Bones whispered in his ears, but then he started to move. Slow, inching out and then back in again with a steady pace that had Jim twitching underneath him.

Jim moved a hand back to grasp onto Bones' ass, trying to increase the speed.

"What were you going to prove to me Bones? That you only know how to fuck slowly? That you know how to torture me? What were you going to prove to me?" Jim dared.

"You want me to show you what I can prove to you?" Bones responded, breath hot and heavy over Jim's ear, that drawl even stronger than Jim had ever heard. Jim shivered at the thought that Bones might be able to make him come by his voice alone, but not now that Jim had his gorgeous cock in him and he did not want it to ever leave.

"This is what I will prove," Bones continued as he withdrew completely from Jim, but before Jim could protest he had him flipped on his back, his legs over Bones' shoulders and was pressing back in again. This time it was a full plunge straight in and Jim swore later that it was beginner's luck that had Bones hitting his prostrate.

"Well, Darlin'," Bones drawled in his ear as he withdrew almost all the way out before plunging back in again, not quite hitting the same spot again. But his voice and that name was enough to still make Jim shiver.

Jim growled in frustration and tried to tilt his hips up even higher.

"Darlin', I'm gonna make you scream," Bones promised and then set to work on making that promise come true.

Hard, and fast strokes, mostly hitting Jim's prostrate on each plunge. Faster he moved, legs shaking at the exertions he had to make to keep up the punishing pace. Jim was moaning audibly and in between he was able to get out the following sentence.

"No one," plunge, "has ever," slide, "manag-" plunge and bullseye, "-ged," slide, "it," plunge.

"Good," Bones responded, voice breaking. "About time I got to be a first."

The pace increased again and Jim's legs started to slide off Bones' shoulder, lolling open and boneless as the sensations continued to build.

"Well, Darlin'?" Bones asked as he straightened up his body, one hand holding Jim in place while he pounded into him and the other slid to Jim's neglected cock, causing Jim to whine at the back of his throat. "You gonna come for me?"

Jim's eyes opened at the request, then they snapped close as his neck arched, his mouth opened and Bones' promise came good. Jim did scream as Bones hit his poor prostrate for the second to last time. It slid against that taunt bundle of nerves and the little twist over the head as he stroked his cock was finally too much. Jim had tried to hold it in and not scream, but it was torn from him.

The pulsation of the muscles in his ass as he came were also the final straw for Bones, he remained seated inside Jim as he orgasmed as well. No scream from Bones, just a guttural, breathy exhalation of release.

Bones remained poised over Jim, cock still throbbing as Jim slowly came back down to earth. He wrapped one arm behind Bones' neck and pulled him down to plant a kiss on those lips that he had fantasied over for years.

Bones released his arms and flopped down onto Jim, making him deal with his considerable weight, smearing Jim's come all over their chests.

They lay like that, trying to catch their breaths until Bones started to feel his come leaking out of Jim, he slipped out and rolled over to his side.

"I'm disgusting," he said as he stroked one finger over his chest. "You're worse."

Jim smiled and grabbed Bones' hand as he pulled him off the bed and towards one of the doors that they had not opened yet. The first was to the expansive closet, and the second was the one they were after. The bathroom. Jim grinned as he pulled Bones over to the shower, both men's progress considerably lacking in grace due to the wobbly feeling of their legs. Jim turned on the water and got under the spray even before it had adjusted to the optimum temperature. There really was only so long you could stay standing while come leaked out your ass and down your legs before it became too uncomfortable. He pulled Bones into the shower with him, and it was generous enough space that they could both fit in there easily. Obviously designed to be shared.

They showered in silence, glances a little shy and nervous to start off with as they washed and cleaned and touched each other. More comfortable by the end as they towel dried themselves.

"Jim, I..." Bones started to say before he was stopped by Jim pressing his hand over his mouth.

"No," Jim told him ignoring the flash in Bones' eyes. "No recriminations, just accept that what happened happened. We'll just take this as it goes, ok?"

When Bones nodded his agreement, Jim removed his hand and started to walk out of the bathroom. He turned back to Bones in the doorway. "Next time though, I get to fuck you and make you scream." He smirked and quickly stepped to the side as a slightly damp towel came flying out of the bathroom to float down onto the floor of the bedroom.

  
***

  
The next few days were full of laughter, quiet times and just all around pleasant getting to know you experiences. Jim found out that not only was Bones' mother here, but his aunt and uncle lived in South Tahoe nearby. There was more family than he had ever known about Bones. Not once during their term breaks had Bones even attempted to come visit his mother and she was in the same state. Jim wanted to smack him upside the head. He didn't because he knew that Bones would just whack him one right back. If it meant that Jim sometimes made himself scarce and took Joanna with him so that mother and son had to spend time in each others company, well he would just do that. Joanna was as carefree and natural in Eleanora's presence as she was in her father's. Eleanora was a historian / tour guide at a local early 20th century grand house on Emerald Bay Lake. She often rented out the section that Jim and Bones were staying in as a bed and breakfast. She had used the sale from the family house in Atlanta to purchase this one and Jim's suspicion that Bones had come from wealth was finally confirmed with some of the stories that Eleanora told. And then there was the sex. Jim had a normally happy disposition but even so it would have been obvious to anyone that had a passing acquaintance with him that something was making him happier and more sated than he had ever been. He and Bones were well matched and if there was still a fight for dominance occurring in each of their bouts, it was a fight that both looked forward to. Jim was happy to be leading the tally by two at this current stage, although he was damned sure that Bones had something planned.

On the third night at Cascade Lake, after Joanna had been put to bed, Bones finally mentioned the real reason they were here, Joanna and her future. Jim got up to leave them to discuss the matter but Bones just gripped his arm and made him sit right back down again. Eleanora willingly agreed to help Bones fight for full custody of Joanna and started to plan her schooling and future. Joanna had enjoyed her time at the Lake and had even made some firm friends with twin boys of the lodge keepers who lived at the other end of the lake. When Bones went to collect the original court paperwork, Jim manned up and admitted to Eleanora that their "engagement" was faked due to Joanna mistaking a conversation she overheard. They couldn't hurt her and their pretense had been born. Jim told her he was sorry and that he was the main driving force behind it and that if he had caused any more pain to the McCoys, he would gladly do what he could to solve it.

While Jim sat there, waiting for Eleanora's disappointment to be revealed, he discovered that Bones wasn't the only McCoy with a sharp hook. Eleanora called him a damn fool and she could see that the only pain he could ever cause the McCoys would be if he stopped loving Leonard and she highly doubted that was going to happen anytime soon. She walked back to her chair, placed herself down in it and looked over to Jim, extolling him to make sure that this pretense became real. Bones returned to the living room to find Jim staring dumbfounded at his mother. Jim shut his mouth and went back to staring out at the moonlight reflecting on the lake. Bones shook his head at the confusion that was James T Kirk and started discussing the plan of action with his mother.

All their careful planning came for naught, when the following morning a message was waiting for Bones from Jocelyn's lawyers.

Bones stared at his mother and Jim in shock after he had read it. Joanna was oblivious to the byplay as she ate breakfast with her nose tucked in a book, carefully holding it away enough that there shouldn't be any spillage onto the book as she ate her cereal but close enough so that she could still read it. Bones passed over the message to his mother while he sought a cup of coffee. Jim waited, not so patiently to find out what it said. Neither McCoy spoke while they read the message or after it either and it was driving Jim crazy. At least he figured out that it was good news, when Eleanora looked over at her son and granddaughter, smiling at them both. She then included Jim in that happy smile as she handed over the message to him finally. The Judges ruling in relation to Joanna had been adjusted, full custody had been granted to Bones. Jim tossed the message on the table as he marched over to Bones, hauled him out of his chair and kissed him, his hands cradling Bones' face gently. They finally had Joanna's attention away from the book as she complained to her grandmother that they had been doing too much of that lately. Eleanora just patted Joanna on the cheek as she explained that they hadn't been doing it enough. Joanna just rolled her eyes at the weirdness of adults, although at least her Daddy and Jim were now just smiling stupidly at each other and no longer kissing and she gave her attention back to her book. There was a row boat involved and she had some ideas on what she and the twins could try today, completely unaware that she was the cause of the happiness of the three adults.

It took Jim another two days to build up the courage. For the man who had been described by one newspaper as the bravest man in the Universe, although Bones had sworn that was Standard for one right stupid dumb fuck with a hero complex, this was one leap that he was being very considered about. Funnily enough, it was Rascally that was the catalyst. Jim was standing on the balcony of the room, watching a swallow flit down to the water before arching up gracefully before circling back down again to skim the surface. Bones joined him, Rascally in his hands again. Jim smiled as he looked at the rabbit that he and Joanna continually kept putting in Bones' way. At the sight of the orange carrot heart, Jim's smile faded. He looked up seriously at Bones, at the man who now held his own heart in those surgeon's hands. And wasn't that a turn up for the books, that Jim had a heart to give and that someone would want it. Jim thought of Eleanora and Joanna. A family that he realized that Bones had brought him into. A family. Something Jim had been long craving but never thinking he would find again. To Bones he was just Jim, the dumb idiot who leaps before looking and needed telling off every now and again, but also his best friend in the world. To Joanna, he was Jim, another adult who adored her and let her be herself. The hero worship was mostly gone from her eyes and she just enjoyed someone to create mischief against her father and the twins with. Then there was Eleanora. Understanding, sad, witty Eleanora who had lost her son for many years and who now had him back but treated Jim like her own too. A family.

Jim took a deep breath and stepped close to Bones, close enough that he could grasp that damned rabbit.

"I, James Tiberius Kirk want you Leonard Horatio McCoy, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer and until death do us part. Please Bones? Be mine?"

Jim lifted his hands up to rest on either side of Bones' face. Willing Bones to give the answer that Jim wanted to hear.

Bones stared at Jim, at the earnest too blue eyes pleading with him for an answer. Bones closed his eyes and a huff of breath escaped past his plump red lips, releasing one word out into the air between them.

"Yes."

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Authors Notes**
> 
> Well, this is finally over. Maybe. I might have plans for that rabbit....
> 
> Ok, I just thought I would thank all those that have read and those that have commented. Thank you very much and I am glad you enjoyed the story the boys and Joanna took us on. My friends know all about my desire and regular begging for comments I do to them, so you all have no idea how much I have appreciated your comments.
> 
> I thought I would also let you all in on how this little plot came about. The original prompt I really liked, apart from the one detail of it being Bones announcing he was engaged. I just couldn't make the Bones in my head do that. I kept trying but the bugger was just so stubborn about it, and then Joanna piped up and the rest is history. What I really liked about the Reboot was how the characters we knew from TOS still ended up together even with a different beginning. Even Pike ended up in a wheelchair, although able to speak and not beep is a bit of a bonus. So what does this have to do with this story? I knew about Joanna's, Bones' and Jocelyn's backstory in TOS, although most of it is from the novels etc and not 'canon' I still thought it was interesting and wanted to weave it into the reboot world. In TOS, Joanna grew up with her Aunt and Uncle from her father's side on Centarus and not with Jocelyn. Jocelyn in TOS novels is not the nicest woman out there but I knew I would have to tread carefully as I had seen some comments from people that they thought Jocelyn's portrayal by some authors as being misogynistic. You know what, some women are bitches, some guys are arseholes, that is just people. So I wanted to find a way for Joanna to be removed from Jocelyn and Clay and end up with Bones' family instead. The Aunt and Uncle mentioned in the fic are the two that Joanna ended up staying with in TOS. So she almost ends up with them, but I am sure that they will help out Eleanora to raise Joanna, even if it is in South Tahoe and not Centarus. :) I think there might be a few visits onto the Enterprise for Joanna in her near future, don't you? Who knows where that darned rabbit will end up, he seems the adventurous type. ;)
> 
> Again, thank you all and I hope you enjoyed the story.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Title:** A truth that's told with bad intent - Act One  
>  **Author:** [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/nikki4noo/profile)[**nikki4noo**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/nikki4noo/)  
>  **Beta:** [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/aquila_star/profile)[](http://www.livejournal.com/users/aquila_star/)**aquila_star** and the lovely Anna  
>  **Word Count:** 4,158  
>  **Rating:** PG (some mild swearing) will increase in later Acts  
>  **Pairings/Characters:** Kirk/McCoy, Joanna McCoy and various OCs  
>  **Summary:** Bones finds himself in the predicament of being engaged, to THE Captain James T Kirk. How to get out of the situation? Well, consider one nine year old girl and a Starship Captain to the rescue. What could possibly go wrong?  
>  **Disclaimer:** Not mine, dammit!
> 
> **A/N:** Written for this accidental/fake marriage prompt at [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/space_married/profile)[](http://www.livejournal.com/users/space_married/)**space_married** \- _(13) Could be Jocelyn/old med school friend/relative/etc but they start on how Jocelyn has moved on and is being BAMF without Bones so he gets fed up and says he's engaged. To a Starfleet captain! Hijinks ensue!_ I will be posting an update on this once a week. I did vary slightly from the original prompt but I hope the requester likes where the muse took me.
> 
> Originally posted 9 Sept 2009
> 
> A [fanmix](http://hate-blueprint.livejournal.com/1076.html) was kindly created by [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/hate_blueprint/profile)[](http://www.livejournal.com/users/hate_blueprint/)**hate_blueprint** for this fic. Go download and listen as it is a perfect match for the fic. :D

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Truth That's Told With Bad Intent [Podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/241844) by [RevolutionaryJo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RevolutionaryJo/pseuds/RevolutionaryJo)




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